JAN. 28, 2014 — Mr. Andrew Bell, president of the Charleston Battery Soccer Team, spoke at our January 28 meeting presenting a “State of the Sport” for Soccer in the U.S.
Mr. Bell grew up in the Town of Reading, England and attended the University of Bradford, earning a Bachelors of Archeological Science while also playing rugby. Moving to the United States in 1996, Mr. Bell started out as a play announcer for the Charleston Battery, eventually becoming the Director of Marketing, then Director of Sales until being named President in 2008. Mr. Bell still does the radio broadcast for Battery Games on sports radio 1450 and as a lifelong soccer player, still plays with the City of Charleston Soccer League.
Major League Soccer was founded in the United States in 1993 and is comprised of 19 teams in the US and Canada. The US has one of the best Soccer teams worldwide and will be competing this year for the World Cup in Brazil. The World Cup is held every 4 years involving 204 nations attempting to qualify as one of 32 teams who will compete in the World Cup. Soccer is the 2nd most watched sport for 18-34 year olds in the U.S. behind Football.
Mr. Bell also spoke about how the popularity of Soccer has increased since the founding of MLS. He talked about the Seattle Sounders who use to be in the same league as the Charleston Battery. Back then the Sounders “sucked” as Mr. Bell put it and had little fanbase. It seemed ridiculous at the time for Seattle to purchase a Major League Franchise for $10 million with attendance so abysmal. However the Sounders currently break attendance records averaging over 44,000 per game. New York is now pursuing a franchise at a cost of $100 Million.
Minor League teams have also recently been looking at Strategic Partnerships with the Major League teams in order to have enhance the development of their players as well as enjoy benefits such as better healthcare coverage afforded major league players. All major league teams will soon have a minor league component and the Battery recently partnered with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
The Battery will be joined by current U.S. Open Cup champions D.C. United, MLS’s Houston Dynamo and the Seattle Sounders for the 11th edition of the prestigious Carolina Challenge Cup to be held in Blackbaud Arena February 22-March 1 2014.
— Don Baus, Keyway Committee