Charlotte FC made a record-breaking home debut on Saturday night, setting a Major League Soccer attendance mark of 74,479 in a 1-0 loss to the LA Galaxy.
Fans dressed in the team's light, blue robes and wearing FC Charlotte scarves celebrate the team's first game since 1996 at Bank of America Stadium, home of the NFL's Carolina Panthers.
There were 69,522 to see Carolina's first regular-season game on September 1, 1996—a 29–6 win over Atlanta. This long, anticipated MLS game shattered that mark.
Things didn't go well on the field for Charlotte FC, who fell as Galaxy's substitute midfielder Efrain Alvarez hit a hard shot in the top right corner from outside the box in the 77th minute.
Charlotte FC (0-2-0) had a chance to equalize in the last minute of stoppage time, but Daniel Rios' goal was stopped by Jonathan Bond of LA Galaxy near goal on a cross from Alan Franco.
Galaxy have won both their games to start the season.
Still, the defeat didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd as they stood and cheered at the end, just like they did at the beginning.
David Tepper, owner of Charlotte FC and Carolina Panthers, told the crowd before kickoff, "Welcome to Charlotte's biggest party."
MLS commissioner Dan Garber called it a historic night for the league. He said the crowd showed "there is no limit to where our league can go."
LA Galaxy coach Greg Vaney had long thought North Carolina was the hotbed for football and featured in the competition.
"It's no surprise that there was a fan base so ready and eager to show support," Vaney said. "Our job was to come here and spoil the whole thing so I'm happy for that."
Charlotte FC goalkeeper Kristijn Kahlina said that in recent years he played in front of 500 people in Bulgaria last year and 14,000 in his native Croatia during his career. To watch, "Five times, the support of our fans is unbelievable."
About four hours before the start of the match, there was a queue of people at the entrance, eager to cheer for their hometown MLS club.
Even the signature Panthers statues outside the stadium had a Charlotte FC scarf draped around their neck for the occasion.
"We've waited for this for a while," said Lenny Romero, a Charlotte fan who wore a Charlotte FC blue curly wig.
People in Charlotte gear pack parking lots around the stadium that usually only fill up for Panthers football.
Food carts and souvenir stands were everywhere, with some fans even taking out their cornhole boards for football-style tailgates.
When Atlanta United played the Portland Timbers for the MLS Cup in December 2018, the final appearance at Mercedes-Benz Stadium topped the old MLS high of 73,019.
The Atlanta building also had the previous top attendance for a regular season match, 72,548 when United played the LA Galaxy in August 2019.
Tepper's bid for the MLS franchise was approved in 2019, with plans to play in 2021. However, it was delayed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The first-year club played its first match last week in Washington, D.C. Lost 3-0 to United.
The team spent about $50 million or more in improvements to increase the stadium for football. A new tunnel was added to the midfield with football locker rooms, training facilities and a players lounge.
The upper level of the stadium will be closed to fans for many games. Still, it would give Charlotte FC a capacity of about 38,000.
Tepper was on the field about an hour before the start, waving and pumping his fists to grateful fans.
Charlotte FC defender Jaylin Lindsay grew up and played youth football in the city. He was excited to play as a professional in his hometown. "It's going to be like a homecoming," Lindsay said this week.
Fan Marshall Hollin has followed the team's development since it was announced three years earlier and made a six-hour drive from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina to downtown Charlotte.
“There is a huge love of football in this area and the culmination of all of that and a recognition that it is something fun and great,” he said.
Officials told WBTV that about 20 rows of a section of the upper deck were cleared after half-time as a precaution when a cellular antenna slipped from its mount. No one was hurt and the audience was moved.