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Aww man I thought it was a bit of hope we could get an actual pro team here. I think that would do wonders for Columbia
I think you meant major league team, since the Fireflies are indeed a professional team, just one that plays in the minor leagues!
There are probably only 45 to 50 markets/metroplexes that are capable of hosting major league teams in one of the "Big 5" leagues (MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, MLS) in the US.
The Columbia metroplex is the 76th largest TV market, it will probably never get a major league team in your lifetime, your children's lifetime and their children's lifetime, just sayin'.
The only long shot I see that might happen, and I stress might, is if Dawn Staley continues building on the success of the women's basketball team and wins 3 or 4 more national titles, maybe in 15 to 20 years, a WNBA team could be based here (if the WNBA is still around then?) and have some connection to the Charlotte Hornets, like the same ownership group.
I know the Charlotte Sting had a 10-year run from 1997-2006 and then folded.
The Connecticut Sun, which started in Orlando in 1999, and relocated to Connecticut in 2003 mainly due to the success and huge popularity of the UConn's women's basketball team and are owned by the Mohegan Sun casino where they play and the tribe that runs it.
I thought the same thing. I guess I was just hoping for something more. I did think though, USC is building its Intramural Soccer fields on National Guard Rd, I thought maybe there’d be like a financial donation from MLS for that or something.
A silly thing to hype up to announce, but I also don't see why anyone actually thought MLS would be coming to Columbia of all places. Columbia's size and lack prior news aside, one is already coming to Charlotte.
TV market is too small and too close to Charlotte which is adding a team at Bank of America Stadium, part of the Carolina Panthers ownership group.
I'm sorry, I just can't see major league soccer taking hold in Columbia. It's too small, and the demographic is totally off, for something like that. There just wouldn't be enough fans. Same as what happened with the Inferno hockey team.
I could be wrong, but that's just how I see it.
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