Charlotte FC Fan Base Flourishes: Mint City Collective Expands Globally

Charlotte FC supporter groups keep growing. The team heads into its fifth season in Major League Soccer with at least five groups that have official recognition.

Mint City Collective leads the pack. Carolina Hooliganz, NORCAS CLT, South Charlotte, and Southbound & Crown round out the list. Brandon Lewis runs Mint City Collective as president, a group that formed in 2019 before MLS awarded Charlotte its franchise.

"We just wanted to ensure that everybody felt welcome," said Lewis, according to Queen City News. "Everybody felt the community did not want to keep anybody out of this."

Mint City Collective started with chapters across the metro area. They've spread throughout the Carolinas with outposts in Wilmington, Asheville, and Charleston. Lewis said the group has even reached Colorado and crossed the ocean to Germany.

"They hear us, they feed off of that, and you can tell it," said Lewis.

Will Palaszczuk calls games on radio for Charlotte FC. He thinks supporter groups are the lifeblood of the fan base.

"Charlotte is the one thing that I think with anybody who either comes here or is from here, it's the one thing they really can call their own," said Palaszczuk.

Most supporter groups host tailgates before home matches. The gatherings happen at 703 McNinch St. near Uptown. Lewis said these pre-game meetups help build the atmosphere that players respond to once they step on the field.

These groups have grown as the club begins its fifth campaign. What started as local chapters has turned into an international presence, showing how the fan base has developed since Charlotte got its franchise.