The Independence Pro Soccer Team will be hosting Charlotte Pride Night at the newly constructed American Legion Stadium on August 14 at 7:00 p.m. The Pittsburgh Riverhounds are back for a second game against the Independence, after the Pennsylvanian natives lost their previous match against Charlotte in May of this year. Christian Maldonado, one of the team’s account executives, is reaching out to local LGBTQ nonprofits, news sources and businesses in the interest of garnering publicity for both the Independence and the individual organizations.
The team hopes to have the Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte perform the national anthem at Pride Night. Ticket proceeds will be going towards Charlotte Pride, with future events to follow suit, depending on what their cause or theme may be. The week following Pride Night, the Independence is hosting Healthcare Heroes Appreciation Night in an effort to highlight front-line workers. Two weeks after that, on September 4, they will be holding a Military Appreciation Night. All of these events have been designed as a way to spotlight the individuals who make up the community of Charlotte.
“In this inaugural season,” Maldonado explains, “we are pushing programs like Pride Night that show who we are and what our values are as an organization. We want to ensure that we have a fun, inclusive and engaging environment for the community as we open up our brand new stadium.”
With ESPN coverage of every Independence game, there is a great opportunity for groups to make their voices, and their missions, public. The president of the league often make an appearance and shout-out some of the organizations present, even posting their logo or contact information on the stadium’s video board.
Maldonado stresses that, since the Independence Pro Soccer Team is smaller than many other professional teams in Charlotte, they are able to provide a personal touch in creating specific events for every group in the community.
To purchase a ticket to Charlotte Pride Night, go to bit.ly/3xrfkcE.
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