Revenue rises for Charlotte 49ers football
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Charlotte 49ers football revenue continues to grow, according to director of athletics Mike Hill.
Why it matters: That's bolstered the school's entire athletics budget, which increased from roughly $29 million when Hill arrived in 2018 to approximately $49 million, he told Axios in an August interview.
- "We're growing significantly, and that's a requirement to compete at this level," Hill says.
State of play: This comes amid a period of transition for the young football program, which recently broke ground on a $70 million stadium expansion.
- They've also sold out football season tickets for the first time in program history. The 49ers expect record-breaking ticket revenue this year.
- Last season, five of their six home games were at or over capacity, following a trend of increased attendance in recent years.
- "We're trying to capitalize on the energy and enthusiasm around the program right now," Hill says.
Zoom out: The program is also emphasizing the sale of new premium spaces that are part of their stadium expansion, with a dedicated sales center in Uptown.
- Legends, a hospitality management firm specializing in sports venues, will serve as the program's day-to-day sales arm for the stadium's five premium spaces, including suites and loge boxes in a new state-of-the-art tower.
- "We have to continue to generate revenue to reinvest in the football program for it to have the success that we all want it to have," Hill says.
The big picture: Opponents like East Carolina, Appalachian State and North Carolina excite the program's fan base and help drive sales, Hill says. They also have a future home-and-home agreement with N.C. State in 2030 and 2031.
- Charlotte's home opener this Saturday against North Carolina also marks Bill Belichick's first away game as the Tar Heels' head coach. The 49ers have added seats to accommodate demand. Remaining tickets start at $94.
Between the lines: Charlotte received $200,000 for playing at North Carolina last year. The Tar Heels will receive $200,000 for playing here this year. It's more of a token exchange than a guaranteed payout.
- However, Charlotte will receive a program-record $1.9 million to play at Georgia on Nov. 22.
The bottom line: "We want to be a regular bowl [game] participant and ultimately compete for conference championships," Hill says.
Go deeper: 5 things to know about Charlotte 49ers new head coach Tim Albin