| Sports |
"Hornets"
The nickname "Hornets" has long been apart of Charlotte
sports. This comes from the city's nickname, the "Hornet's
nest"
The first time the name was used for a sports team was in 1901
when the newly formed baseball club adopted the name. |
| Football |
| Charlotte has been home to the NFL's Carolina Panthers since
1996. The city was home to the World Football League's Charlotte
Hornets for 1974 and 1975. Charlotte has also been home to two
Arena Football League teams, the Charlotte Rage and Carolina
Cobras. |
| Basketball |
| The NBA's Charlotte Bobcats began play in 2004. (The NBA's
Charlotte Hornets played in Charlotte from 1988 until 2002,
when the troubled franchise relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana).
The WNBA Charlotte Sting have played in Charlotte since 1997.
|
| Auto Racing |
| Charlotte is the de facto hub of stock car racing, with two
major NASCAR events (the Coca-Cola 600 and the Quality 500)
held annually at nearby Lowe's Motor Speedway (formerly the
Charlotte Motor Speedway). Many of Nascar's top teams are headquartered
in the Charlotte area. Rural Charlotte's rugged dirt tracks,
such as Metrolina Speedway, were birthing grounds for some of
racing's most famed figures, including the late Dale Earnhardt
and Richard Petty. |
| Soccer |
| Charlotte is home to the Charlotte Eagles of the United Soccer
Leagues. |
| Baseball |
| Baseball has a long, rich history in the Queen
City. Dating back to 1901 when the Charlotte Hornets were formed.
It's currently home to the Triple-A Charlotte Knights. |
