North Carolina FC
Where: Cary, NC
Stadium: Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Park
Capacity: 10,000
Last Year: 11-9-12 (3rd overall, NASL)
Average Attendance: 4,471
Hardware: 2011 NASL Regular Season Champion
2017 U.S. Open Cup: 4th Round loss to the Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Supporters: Oak City Supporters and Triangle Soccer Fanatics

The final club joining us in the Eastern Conference this year is North Carolina FC, and they’re the one with the most history. This is actually the second time NCFC will call the USL home. The club was founded in 2006 as the Carolina Railhawks and played in the USL first division for three seasons. Since they were in a division higher than the Hounds at the time we never actually played them. The Railhawks were one of the defectors to the NASL in the 2009 soccer warz, only to defect again back to the USL once the NASL started to take on water last fall. In 2016 their owner Traffic Sports found themselves in a slew of legal trouble and ended up selling the team to a local owner. The local owner rebranded the Railhawks to North Carolina FC as part of the break as well as part of their MLS bid. Yes that’s right, NCFC are one of those teams sucking up to MLS every way possible, generic name and all. Apparently though they didn’t do it enough for this round of expansion and aren’t moving up any time soon.

NCFC is the most complete club we’ve seen join the league in years, maybe ever. Besides the first team they have a PDL U-23 squad and a youth academy. In theory this gives their players a path from youth to professional. If that wasn’t enough they also run an NWSL team by the name of NC Courage. The NC Courage won the NWSL regular season title in just their first season. Despite being a bit rebellious in their league loyalty, I can’t snark at them for having a well-run organization.

NCFC seems to be one of the few new teams anymore that has a proper soccer stadium. WakeMed Park seats 10k and has hosted several friendlies against EPL teams as well as USWNT matches. If the stream last weekend is any indication, the Hounds are going to love playing there.

Now that they’re back in the same league NCFC should rejoin the Southern Derby with Charleston and Charlotte. That’s good since according to Wikipedia a number of their other rivals don’t exist anymore (Rochester, Puerto Rico, Atlanta Silverbacks). As far as we’re concerned, they’re just another team from a Carolina. They’re a solidly built club who should provide a decent challenge, but I don’t see them lighting up the league this year.

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And that’s it for our very brief look at the new teams this season. The USL already kicked off this past weekend and both Nashville and NCFC picked up losses in their debut. Our season finally starts this coming weekend with the Hounds taking a trip down to Nashville. A continual reminder that we’re hosting a watch party at Smokin’ Joes in the South Side. Come on up to the party room on the second level! Kick off is at 6 pm. The party starts at 5.

#UNLEASH