CHARLOTTE INDEPENDENCE

The Charlotte Independence issued its first "Community Commitment Report," which highlights the franchise's organizational diversity on and off the pitch.

The Charlotte Independence released its first diversity report citing initiatives to include people of color and women in the organization.

CEO and managing partner Jim McPhilliamy and President Tim Schuldt noted in the team’s “Community Commitment Report” that the Independence is taking a proactive approach to diversity in the workforce, with three Black men, two Hispanic men and a white woman making up the last full-time staff hires. Brian Haynes was hired as an assistant coach – a first for the franchise – and Shawn Geiger as operations manager.

“We’ve built a desirable culture in our front office, on the field, in our social media platforms and at our stadium,” according to the report.

Among other highlights from 2021:

• The team’s roster was even more diverse in 2021, its final campaign in USL Championship before self-relegating to USL League One next year. Sixty-eight percent of players were people of color, with 40% Black, 32% white and 28% Hispanic.

The roster will likely undergo significant changes in 2022 as players retire or move to new teams due to League One relegation.

• Among eight interns, half were white men, two Black men, one Hispanic and one white woman. More than half (57%) “of our opportunities have gone to future sports business leaders of diversity,” according to the team.

• The Independence also has a relationship with historically underutilized businesses. Black-owned Next Levels LLC is the team’s vendor for merchandise and souvenir development, sales and marketing.

“This new start-up was doing some smaller projects for us and had built credibility with hard work and tremendous values,” the report read. “We were looking for a new approach to our merchandise business, and we were able to find that solution and provide an opportunity for a young entrepreneur who has done an excellent job for us and our fans.”

Hispanic-owned Marka Sports handles the team’s signage, including sponsor banners at home games, while Marley Q and Frios Gourmet Ice Cream Pops, both food vendors owned by Black women and Rey’s Tacos, a Hispanic-owned vendor.

• The club expanded brand campaigns to raise awareness of anti-racism initiatives. The Independence’s “United We Play” platform included messaging for team events and merchandise in addition to partnering with defender Hugh Roberts to raise money for his foundation. Roberts, who is Black, is co-founder of a USL players’ initiative to fight racism in the sport.      

“We continue to align with fans, companies and organizations that share these values and are like-minded in their desire to have mutually respectful relationships, ones that want to be a positive force in our organization, in our community and in soccer,” the authors wrote.

Comments