So the UPoR had a story out the other day on the July 30 International Champions Cup soccer match between Germany’s FC Bayern Munich and Italy’s Inter Milan at Bank of America Stadium titled “Charlotte’s passion for world-class soccer draws iconic European teams.”
Does Charlotte really have a passion for soccer? Maybe. But that’s not the only factor at play here. The International Champions Cup gets to play for free at Bank of America Stadium as a quid pro quo for the city helping to pay for upgrades at the privately-owned stadium. Is this an important factor in the ICC’s decision to keep coming to the Queen City? Well, let’s just say the ICC showed up in Charlotte right after the city got the right to use the stadium for free four times a year. Is the free use of the stadium something the Charlotte Observer should have mentioned in its article? Absolutely.
