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. The Independence take their name from Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. Their crest features the year 1775 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.
Stadium
On February 25, 2015, the team announced they would play most of their 2015 season in a temporary soccer stadium being assembled at Ramblewood Soccer Complex, near the I-77/I-485 interchange in the southwest corner of the city. After splitting its first five home games between the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's Transamerica Field and Winthrop University's Eagle Field, the Independence won their Ramblewood debut on June 20, 2015. On February 1, 2017, the team announced they would play in a permanent 2,300 seat soccer stadium at the Sportsplex at Matthews in Matthews, North Carolina.
Sponsorship
Year-by-year
Players and staff
Current roster
As of July 15, 2020
No.
Position
Player
Nation
Front office
Jim McPhilliamy – President & Managing Partner
Bruce Cairnduff – Chief Financial Officer
Wade Leaphart – Executive Vice President
Mike Jeffries – General Manager
Coaching staff
Mike Jeffries – Head Coach
Dave Dixon – Assistant Coach
Head coaches
Includes USL Regular Season, USL Playoffs, U.S. Open Cup. Excludes friendlies.
In April 2019, Carolina Rapids Soccer Club, Discoveries Soccer Club, and Lake Norman Soccer Club merged to create the , making it one of the largest youth soccer clubs in the country. The club provides programs for Youth and Adult Recreation, TopSoccer, Boys and Girls Competitive, Boys and Girls ECNL, Boys U.S Development Academy, USL2 and WPSL, for its 12,000 members. The youth affiliation with the pro club designates itself as one of the few youth soccer clubs in the area, region and nation to offer a direct pro pathway for its players. CISC operates as 4 Regional locations throughout the Carolinas, North, South, East and West. Serving North Carolina communities such as Belmont, Cabarrus, Cornelius, Davidson, Denver, Gastonia, Huntersville, Matthews, Mooresville, North Meck, South Charlotte, Statesville, Steele Creek, as well as Fort Mill, Rock Hill and York County in South Carolina.
