PHOTO | TROY HULL

The Charlotte Independence, who advanced to the USL Championship playoffs in 2020, promoted Tim Schuldt to president and chief operating officer. Schuldt, who joined the franchise August 2019, has previous background in Major League Baseball and NASCAR.

Tim Schuldt is the new president of the Charlotte Independence.

Schuldt joined the team in August 2019 as chief revenue officer, but was promoted to president and chief operating officer in October. He still reports to club founder, managing partner and CEO Jim McPhilliamy. Schuldt said there is no raise with the role, although his title now reflects his work.

“Jim and I have talked throughout my time there, and this was a goal for a while,” said Schuldt, whose background is in marketing and revenue with Major League Baseball and NASCAR. “A couple of years ago I started as a consultant and was focused on sponsorship primarily and a little bit of ticketing. As we got into this – communications, marketing, broadcasting, in-game entertainment – all of that started to fall on my plate. Jim and I had a discussion about a more accurate title for that, since the job description and responsibilities had expanded. I was fortunate enough to receive that advancement.”

Daily operations remain the same, with McPhilliamy working with the ownership group, head coach and general manager Mike Jeffries overseeing the competition side and Schuldt running the business side.

The club struggled this season, like all sports, due to the impact of COVID-19. Charlotte hosted only one home match in their condensed USL Championship season that allowed for the attendance of fans. That match was not ticketed for the profit of the club, but as a fundraiser for McKenna Woodhead, a local youth soccer player who was paralyzed in a 2018 boating accident. It was also Charlotte’s first time hosting a playoff match.

Schuldt said not having fans at games was the biggest financial hit the Independence took this season.

“It was not as devastating [with sponsorships] as it was losing fans’ ability to come to the games,” he said. “We have some really, really good corporate partners that support us. Many have already signed multi-year agreements going into the new stadium. I’m excited about where we’re going. It’s been a very challenging year. I don’t think we’re unique in that.”

The Independence are slated to move from the Sportsplex at Mathews, where they have been since 2017, to Memorial Stadium in the Elizabeth neighborhood in 2021. The site is adjacent to center city, and is just down from the club’s offices. However, with the addition of a Major League Soccer franchise, speculation lingers about Charlotte’s ability to host two soccer teams when attendance for minor league soccer has been historically lackluster.

The Independence averaged roughly 1,700 fans per game over the last two seasons prior to the pandemic; however, Charlotte FC’s inaugural season was pushed from 2021 to 2022, giving the Independence time to test whether their new location will make a difference at the ticket office. However, sources have indicated the club is working with the league to sell the franchise. McPhilliamy could not be reached for comment.

“I talk with Jim every day, and with this virus that is going on, we are literally taking it day by day,” Schuldt said. “We have future aspirations and hopes. One thing I do know, we have the rights to a USL Championship team in this territory. We have that team. We have a 10-year lease on a new stadium. Our intent is to have a great season at that new stadium in 2021. That’s our goal. That’s our hope. We feel like there is room for two professional teams. Our product will be good, as will theirs. Our price points are going to be vastly different. The kind of experience that we’ll deliver may be catered to a different audience than their core audience, and that’s OK. We think there is a winning strategy that is available to us that isn’t their strategy, and that we both can thrive in this market.”

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