Charlotte Independence

The Charlotte Independence is an American soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the USL Championship, the second tier of the American soccer pyramid. They play their home games at the Sportsplex at Matthews in Matthews, North Carolina. The Charlotte Independence were founded in 2014. They acquired the USL Pro franchise rights for Charlotte from the Charlotte Eagles, who moved into the amateur Premier Development League (PDL). The Independence take their name from Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. Their crest features the year 1775 (the year in which it was purported to have been signed) and a horse-mounted Captain James Jack, who is said to have carried the Declaration to Philadelphia. Supporters were asked to choose one of twelve designs; all 12 featured the year and Jack. Former Dallas Burn head coach Mike Jeffries was hired as the Independence head coach on December 5, 2014. The team is nicknamed "The Jacks," in Jack's honor. The Independence lost their first game to the Charleston Battery 3–2 on March 28, 2015 at Transamerica Field. Jack Thompson scored the team's first ever goal in the 13th minute.