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Both are getting MLS, but Charlotte seems to be running hot out of the gate with deposits, while Nashville SC is still struggling with season ticket sales.
I'd hardly call NCAA schools a big factor in either city (who's going to Vandy games?). Both have postseason bowl games. Charlotte has the ACC championship.
I agree. Over the last few years, Charlotte has hosted several Gold Cup International soccer games and pulled in around 60,000 each time. Charlotte's AAA baseball team has the highest average minor league attendance in the nation. The NFL Panthers draw 110% of the NFL average attendance. Even though the NBA Hornets are terrible most seasons, they still pulling 92.4% of the NBA average attendance. Yes, the Charlotte area does lack in major Div. I sports, especially football. But the Charlotte 49ers have had great support in their program and game attendance since getting their football program going 2013 and went to their first bowl game this year. There's also Davidson, Winthrop, and Gardner Webb in the area (what I still can Div. I AA) and some other NAIA type schools. Though many cities are more sports city-oriented than Charlotte, Charlotte still has huge fan support.
Several publications rank Nashville ahead of Charlotte when it comes to sports. Others rank Charlotte ahead of Nashville. Either way, Charlotte is not "definitely the better sports town" as you stated earlier. For you, it is. Since I can't stand the NBA and love NCAA sports, Nashville is the better sports town for me.
I agree. Over the last few years, Charlotte has hosted several Gold Cup International soccer games and pulled in around 60,000 each time. Charlotte's AAA baseball team has the highest average minor league attendance in the nation. The NFL Panthers draw 110% of the NFL average attendance. Even though the NBA Hornets are terrible most seasons, they still pulling 92.4% of the NBA average attendance. Yes, the Charlotte area does lack in major Div. I sports, especially football. But the Charlotte 49ers have had great support in their program and game attendance since getting their football program going 2013 and went to their first bowl game this year. There's also Davidson, Winthrop, and Gardner Webb in the area (what I still can Div. I AA) and some other NAIA type schools. Though many cities are more sports city-oriented than Charlotte, Charlotte still has huge fan support.
Charlotte has some solid sports--both professional and collegiate level.
But Nashville does as well, and I'd say both cities are pretty even when it comes to sports.
Also, the fact that the MLB consistently mentions both cities as potential relocation or expansion possibilities, speaks volumes about the potential support of fans in both cities.
As a sidenote, some additional similarities both cities share: It's funny that Charlotte does not have an NHL team, but Raleigh does, a couple hundred miles away. And it's similarly funny that Nashville does not have an NBA team, but Memphis does, a couple hundred miles away.
Charlotte has some solid sports--both professional and collegiate level.
But Nashville does as well, and I'd say both cities are pretty even when it comes to sports.
Also, the fact that the MLB consistently mentions both cities as potential relocation or expansion possibilities, speaks volumes about the potential support of fans in both cities.
As a sidenote, some additional similarities both cities share: It's funny that Charlotte does not have an NHL team, but Raleigh does, a couple hundred miles away. And it's similarly funny that Nashville does not have an NBA team, but Memphis does, a couple hundred miles away.
I agree, both do well. Charlotte a little better on the pro level and Nashville a bit better on the college level.
No lie, my youngest son and I were discussing that very thing; how out of the NFL, NBA, MLS, and NHL, Charlotte has 3 and Raleigh has 1 AND Nashville has 3 and Memphis has 1. Yet neither state has a MLB team yet. Even more similarities between Charlotte and Nashville, lol.
1. Outdoors. I'll give Charlotte the nod for outdoors, with the caveat that perhaps I'm basing it more around greater region than local surroundings, which is more comparable or even a slight Nashville lean. I think you mentioned mountains, but the first thing I'll mention though too is Charlotte has a decided edge for water sports IMO. It is about 3.5 hrs. driving removed from a number of coastal areas in the Carolinas. It also has the National Whitewater Center, and Lake Norman, one of the best inland recreation lakes in the Eastern US, in its metro boundaries. For hiking too-Charlotte has more proximity to bigger mountains than Nashville does. You have Crowders Mountain and Kings Mountain within the metro area. Lake Lure and the South Mountains are within 2 for day trips. And a plurality of the highest and most well known peaks in the Eastern US (Mount Mitchell, Grandfather Mountain, etc.) within 3 or so. Nashville doesn't do much worse here. Like I mentioned, the immediate piece of land Nashville sits on might be prettier with the river, rolling hills, etc. Chattanooga and Mammoth Cave and other places are within 2, and Gatlinburg is a little under 4 hrs. out. That said though-I still think Charlotte's proximity to taller mountains, and being less landlocked, is decisive here.
2. Night life. As you probably know-Nashville is going to have an overall edge on nightlife being active, etc. That being said, the fact that you mentioned breweries and lounges makes this a bit more of a comparison point-Charlotte has a decent brewery scene by Sun Belt standards (IDK how lounges compare, but with the banking crowd, those are probably decent too). Also, Asheville and it's surrounds are basically brewery heaven-so if that is truly more your scene.. it might be better to be 2 hrs. from there as opposed to the 5 or so you'd be from Asheville in Nashville. If you hadn't provided the qualifying statement, I would've def said Nashville-but given your nightlife tastes, I might say Charlotte here too.
3.Diversity. I would like to be around a diverse crowds: I would vote Charlotte here too, statistically, as well as probably lifestyle and variance within the metro. Nashville might have more of a unique or eccentric crowd if you are counting it that way though. Charlotte has slightly more of a foreign born population within city-Charlotte's demographics (at least city limit wise-are more diverse too, and comfortably so).
4. Job Market. I’m hoping to pivot out of finance into consulting or product management, eventually. I may even consider going to grad school: I really can't comment too well on the job market of each, other than to say that if I had to guess given my admittedly limited knowledge, I would go looking for a job in Charlotte before I would in Nashville, at least wanting one that paid more long term.
5. Culture. This one is where I think Nashville may have a bit more of an edge. I hate to call any place "Anywhere, USA", but Atlanta is often considered a king of being that and perhaps in part why so many movies are filmed there-but Charlotte in many ways is somewhat like a smaller Atlanta, and is perhaps even more generic feeling on a certain level. Nashville has the music scene that perhaps differentiates it, at least within the core, from many places within the US. It also (at least my impression), has more of a "traditional southern" vibe, etc. mindset to it whereas Charlotte is more New South by comparison. Charlotte formed earlier, and was actually considered the "Hornets Nest" of the American Revolution (hence: the Charlotte Hornets). But, it seems like almost no buildings, lingering history, etc. are present from that (Charlotte in it's rapid and dynamic growth perhaps took an ambivalent stance on some of that stuff.) Numbers back that up too-Davidson County (Nashville) has 197 places on National Historic Register, including 6 National Historic Landmarks, by comparison Mecklenburg County (Charlotte) has 102, and 0 National Historic Landmarks. I'd say that in terms of high culture and art, the two are pretty comparable, in fact Charlotte may even have an edge, but local culture is probably what you're most concerned about anyways.
Remember though, if this is an important factor since Charlotte had more going better for you overall: Nashville is a city that is an "it city", and has a strong sense of what it thinks it is already, and may even be becoming a caricature of itself-Charlotte on the other hand though.. really hasn't found itself in the modern age-but is growing well urban wise, economically, etc, and your money will probably go further there for housing, etc. I don't have anything against Nashville here, but I feel like Charlotte is probably a better fit, given your tastes/desires.
Several publications rank Nashville ahead of Charlotte when it comes to sports. Others rank Charlotte ahead of Nashville. Either way, Charlotte is not "definitely the better sports town" as you stated earlier. For you, it is. Since I can't stand the NBA and love NCAA sports, Nashville is the better sports town for me.
To be fair though in terms of college sports-Charlotte does get to host the ACC Championship Game for football, which while one off-is a marquee event. Charlotte might be better from a standpoint of a College Football/Basketball fan traveling to games, overall though. There are 10 P5 schools I think within a 4 hour drive of Charlotte, compared with 7 within that range of Nashville.
Though with that being said I think I would actually prefer Nashville at this point since it has MLS, NBA, NFL and SEC, compared with Charlotte which just has NBA, NFL and CUSA. What has to be considered also objectively though is that Charlotte seems to host more marquee sports events, and in outside the Big 4/5, but still perhaps just as if not more major, sports (NASCAR, PGA, etc.). I guess they are pretty even. I love college sports too, though it wouldn't bother me much watching the Charlotte 49ers as opposed to the Vanderbilt Commodores. If one or the other ever gets MLB, that would be a tiebreaker for me
To be fair though in terms of college sports-Charlotte does get to host the ACC Championship Game for football, which while one off-is a marquee event. Charlotte might be better from a standpoint of a College Football/Basketball fan traveling to games, overall though. There are 10 P5 schools I think within a 4 hour drive of Charlotte, compared with 7 within that range of Nashville.
Though with that being said I think I would actually prefer Nashville at this point since it has MLS, NBA, NFL and SEC, compared with Charlotte which just has NBA, NFL and CUSA. What has to be considered also objectively though is that Charlotte seems to host more marquee sports events, and in outside the Big 4/5, but still perhaps just as if not more major, sports (NASCAR, PGA, etc.). I guess they are pretty even. I love college sports too, though it wouldn't bother me much watching the Charlotte 49ers as opposed to the Vanderbilt Commodores. If one or the other ever gets MLB, that would be a tiebreaker for me
Nashville doesn't have NBA...
I'd give sports to Nashville. The criteria OP mentions favor Nashvilke better fitting his desires, but for me, Charlotte is the place that checks more of my boxes than Nashville. I've always liked Nashville, though...
One thing about Nashville is that locals rarely go to lower Broadway. It's an absolute congested mess on the weekends.
Also, Nashville really has no true Beltway around the city. To me, that results in significantly worse traffic than a more spread out metro like Charlotte that does have a beltway.
Tell me about it Nashville's Interstate system is something else, if it's your first time in the city you could easily get twisted
Outdoors: Both have good access to the mountains, but I'll give Charlotte the win here for easier access to the beach.
Nightlife: Nashville. Charlotte has breweries, but Nashville has Broadway.
Diversity: Charlotte's probably a little more diverse.
Job market: Both are great places to be in right now. Charlotte has the edge in finance, but Nashville has the more diverse economy.
Culture: Nashville. If have to knock Charlotte for one thing, it's about as cookie-cutter as it gets. That being said, Charlotte is definitely the better sports town if that matters to you.
I CANNOT Stand Cookie Cutter lol, it's why I have a problem with alot of Sunbelt/Texas cities... To me Nashville is a Better Sports City, ( I could care less about the Charlotte sports statistics being sprouted out here) the Support for the Preds is incredible and Nashville's Venues are situated in more vibrate areas. And Nashville's economy is more Diverse than Charlotte's finance ( I actually used to work in finance back in the day lol as a bank teller but that was years ago) . Charlotte is growing fast though, Both are good cities,. But for Me personally I would go with Nashville in a heartbeat over Charlotte
Last edited by BlueRedTide; 01-03-2020 at 12:46 PM..
Given Charlotte's GMP and over all economic position. Walking around Uptown and southend will give a far different picture than walking around Downtown and the Gulch in Nashville. Considering that Charlotte has had Linx in place for several years along with its growth rate and Nashville has a high growth rate as well with a booming tourism (that Charlotte could only dream about), that shows the difference in the culture and trajectory of the two places. Being a sports city wasn't mentioned in the OP. Even with that Charlotte is a little more established and is not new to hosting prosporting events.
The answer is in where you want to live. There is no right or wrong choice. Make sure you are seeing things for what they are instead of what cd boosters want you to see. Visit both cities and talk to people in your demographic before making a decision.
Last edited by mjtinmemphis; 01-03-2020 at 01:12 PM..
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