UNC Charlotte football is official in 2013

[Niner National]

You bring up a good point.

Anyone who has gone or goes to Charlotte knows that the place empties on the weekends and most of the students are commuters anyways.

Thought I guess you could make the argument that bringing football to the university would entice students to stay on campus, but I guess the jury is still out on that one.

My freshman year (05) campus was DEAD on the weekends. By my junior year, that had changed dramatically. You don't see students flee like you did a decade ago because there are many more students that are not from the Charlotte area, so they stick around.

As for it being a commuter school, it only has that perception because the school lacks infrastructure to make walking easy. A higher percentage of Charlotte students live within 1 mile of campus than students at Chapel Hill and NC State. There are no sidewalks for many ad no free off campus shuttle for students, so everyone drives.

[Niner National]

I went to USF and graduated the year before they got football back in 97. In 12 years they have come a long way and are a respectable team now sending players to the NFL regularly. It took 12 years for the second largest school in Florida to get decent. Charlotte has little hope of being even mediocre in the next 30 years.

I personally do not care if Charlotte ever reaches powerhouse status. The primary reason I wanted Charlotte to add football was so that it could help the school get into a better conference for basketball. The A10 has a lot of quality teams, but no natural rivals and few interesting matchups for locals. I can deal with the lack of natural rivals if we land in a BCS conference. The school consulted with former USF AD during the football process and he said he knew of two BCS conferences that were "watching Charlotte very closely."

[neverlosethefeeling]

My freshman year (05) campus was DEAD on the weekends. By my junior year, that had changed dramatically. You don't see students flee like you did a decade ago because there are many more students that are not from the Charlotte area, so they stick around.

As for it being a commuter school, it only has that perception because the school lacks infrastructure to make walking easy. A higher percentage of Charlotte students live within 1 mile of campus than students at Chapel Hill and NC State. There are no sidewalks for many ad no free off campus shuttle for students, so everyone drives.

I lived in the dorms 2 years ago and I have to disagree with your assessment.

[CatScratchFever]

It's been a long process with still much more work to do, but I don't care if we will suck at first. I am just glad to have a team of my own. It's always a great day to be a Niner, but today is a special one.

Hail, Charlotte 49ers, proud as we can be

We stand to fight for the green and white,

Til We win the Victory (Go Niners!)

We pledge our trust in you,

And wave your colors high

The loyal Niner Nation cheers,

Forever! We'll Fight-Fight-Fight!

[Niinerballin]

I apologize about the negativity but some times being realistic comes across that way.

NC is suppose to be a basketball state and UNCC has a hard time selling tickets to a basketball game. Heck the Tar Heels drew no more than 10k people when in Charlotte a few years back and this town is full of UNC bandwagon fans.

All that being said, it doesn't bother me that they have a football team. I may even go to a few games.

The Panthers have no problems selling tickets while the Bobcats basically struggle to give them out. I think the main reason the perception of NC as a basketball state is that there aren't any quality football teams in the state year in and year out, besides maybe App.

Yet, collegiate basketball in the state is top level.

[Niner National]

New rendering

[Dingo_ate_Babies]

Having football is a good step in the right direction and will help out the school in alot of ways, but its going to take a loooooong-time till Uncc reaches respectable college status. As an educational institution, uncc is fine. As for the college experience, it blows major ass.

[Panthro]

This is good for Charlotte and UNCC. Now UNCC might become more than a commuter/glorified community college.

[Carolina Husker]

I went to USF and graduated the year before they got football back in 97. In 12 years they have come a long way and are a respectable team now sending players to the NFL regularly. It took 12 years for the second largest school in Florida to get decent. Charlotte has little hope of being even mediocre in the next 30 years.

They will be consistently better than NC State in less than 2 years.

[Jase]

I guess NC State's going to have to share their title now that there's another school in-state that's undefeated in NC.

Time to print up some T-shirts!

[Carolina Husker]

NC State is the Rutgers of the South.

[Panthro]

lol

I said it was a good thing....sheesh people. Enjoy a back handed compliment when I give one

[Scrumtrilescent]

I fell asleep just looking at that rendering. Will UNCC please step away from the Georgian era mental hospital vibe?

[Carolina Husker]

Architecture e-smack!