North Carolina bets big to land 2026 MLS All-Star Game in Charlotte

Axios

6 days ago

A $2 million grant from the state of North Carolina helped lure the 2026 Major League Soccer All-Star Game to Charlotte.
Why it matters: It's part of a new era for the state, which has historically shied away from funding sports projects until recently. Now, sports betting revenue is being used to help attract major events.
By the numbers: The $2,028,950 grant for next year's All-Star Game at Bank of America Stadium is one of three state-funded sports projects using funds from the Major Events, Games, and Attractions Fund, which went live last summer.
The grant "helps a lot," MLS Commissioner Don Garber says. "You need the support of your governments, both local and statewide, to come up with all the activities and branding and support and logistics and security."
How it works: The Major Events, Games, and Attractions Fund is run through the N.C. Commerce Department. It was established as part of North Carolina's 2023 law legalizing sports betting.
The fund is fueled by taxes from sports betting in the state. Thirty percent of annual revenue from these taxes sustains the fund.
Local governments and authorized local organizing committees may apply for grants from the fund. The Charlotte Sports Foundation is the local organizing committee that applied for the grant to bring the MLS All-Star Game to Charlotte.
The grant total is based on the expected in-state spend by the organizers to put on the event, N.C. Secretary of Commerce Lee Lilley told reporters. The $2 million, which will be dispersed after the event, was allocated given the expected $6 million in-state spend for everything it takes to put on the MLS All-Star Game in Charlotte.
In-state spend is different from economic impact, which accounts for other factors, including people staying in hotels and eating in restaurants.
Between the lines: Putting on a week of festivities is more involved than hosting a single match or even a couple of matches in a short period. This will require additional staff and renting setup elements for possible events outside the stadium.
Zoom out: This is the third event the state is using this fund for, along with:
$2 million to the City of Winston-Salem for the NASCAR Clash race at Bowman Gray Stadium.
$1.65 million grant to Richmond County for the NASCAR Xfinity, ARCA, and Truck series at Rockingham Speedway.
The other side: Sports betting has provided the state with additional revenue, but it comes with concerns over gambling addiction.
What we're watching: Secretary Lilley declined to comment on other events the state will use these funds for, but said there are more than 10 events it is considering, including some in Charlotte.
"An event like this is the perfect example of how the state of North Carolina can partner with local people, particularly ones that are as organized and as strong as Tepper Sports and attract special events," CSF board of directors co-chair Johnny Harris says.
Other events Charlotte could eventually host, he adds, include "maybe an [NFL] Draft ... maybe a Super Bowl."
Harris, a prominent Charlotte developer and president of Quail Hollow Club, is experienced in bringing major sporting events to Charlotte. Quail Hollow hosted the PGA Championship for the second time earlier this year and the Presidents Cup in 2022.
The big picture: The entire state benefits from the fund, not just major metros like Charlotte, Lilley says.