A Championship Team

Professional soccer came to Charlotte in 1980 in the form of an exhibition match between the American Soccer League's Miami Americans and the Pennsylvania Stoners.  Local businessman Bob Benson sought to capture the attention of the estimated 17,000 children playing soccer in the Charlotte area. 

Although the weather did not cooperate and attendance suffered, the ASL scheduled an exhibition between their All-Star team and an Israeli first division team in Charlotte.  The game attracted nearly 10,000 fans, and the roots for professional soccer in Charlotte were planted.

The Lightnin' would go on to win the ASL championship in their inaugural season in 1981.

Notably, a September 1981 letter from team owner Bob Benson to Knox asks that the city do all it can to promote the event since Benson “personally ‘stuck my neck out’ to guarantee the ASL Board of Governors 10,000 people” attend the match.  In 1983 the team lobbied the city to fund improvements to Memorial Stadium or to allow the team to play games in the Coliseum so as to gain national television exposure.  By this time, the ASL had folded and the Lightnin’ was to play in the North American Soccer League.  Unfortunately, the franchise lost money perennially and folded after 1984.