Charlotte’s sports scene surges with 2026 MLS All-Star Game
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Charlotte’s sports scene surges with 2026 MLS All-Star Game
Charlotte-native Will Pitts was named CEO for the Charlotte Sports Foundation this past spring. He was part of the team for the city’s first ACC Football Championship game. CSF officials publicly stated their interest in future events including the NFL Draft and an Army-Navy football game. The total economic impact from its events continues to grow each year, according to the CSF Annual Report: 2024: $90.6 million2023: $79.7 million2022: $77.2 millionPitts projects CSF could surpass $100 million intotal economic impact in 2025.
Game On: MLS All-Star Game coming to Queen City
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It’s part of an ongoing effort to put Charlotte on the map through sports.
Channel 9 sports reporter DaShawn Brown sat down with one of the key players making it happen.
Charlotte-native Will Pitts was named CEO for the Charlotte Sports Foundation this past spring, after his work with the nonprofit since 2010. Pitts was part of the team for the city’s first ACC Football Championship game.
“As we think about future opportunities, we need to continue to be creative,” Pitts said.
“When we think about the industry, I would define it as sports and entertainment.”
This includes bringing Savannah Bananas baseball to a football stadium when a franchise record-setting crowd was recorded in Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium.
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Savannah Bananas bring Banana Ball to Bank of America Stadium
Then there’s the Charlotte Invitational, which returns for a second year, which featured a tennis match in what’s normally a basketball arena, at the Spectrum Center.
Pitts said it’s part of their winning formula: Innovation and collaboration.
“We’re working closely with the city, the county, the venues, Tepper Sports and Entertainment, Hornets Sports and Entertainment to think creatively about what opportunities are out there that would be great for our community. Some events that already exist, and others that we manufacture and create new.”
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CSF officials publicly stated their interest in future events including the NFL Draft and an Army-Navy football game.
To date, Pitts said they haven’t submitted an official bid for the draft but received feedback for both events.
“They’ve experienced Charlotte through site visits and conversations to this point. They’re experiences have been great; they’ve been very complimentary of what Charlotte has to offer. It probably just comes down to timing,” he said.
“We’ll be working through that trying to bring that to fruition in the future.”
Meanwhile, the total economic impact from its events continues to grow each year, according to the CSF Annual Report:
2024: $90.6 million
2023: $79.7 million
2022: $77.2 million
Pitts projects CSF could surpass $100 million in total economic impact in 2025.
VIDEO: Game On: MLS All-Star Game coming to Queen City
Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/article/charlotte-sports-scene-surges-2026-174709424.html