Tombstone
Born: 1987
Folded: 1991
First Game: July 10, 1987 (W 25-19 vs. Miami Beach Breakers)
Last Game: August 8, 1991 (L 30-23 @ Atlanta Thunder)
TeamTennis Champions: 1987 and 1988
Venue
1987-1989: Olde Providence Racquet Club
1990-1991: Charlotte Coliseum
Opened: 1988
Demolished: 2007
Marketing
Team Colors: Blue and Orange
Ownership
Owner: Robert Benson
Background
The Charlotte Heat were a co-ed professional tennis club that competed in Billie Jean King’s summertime TeamTennis promotion for five seasons between 1987 and 1991. The Heat won the league championship in each of their first two seasons of play in 1987 and 1988.
Extinguished
The Heat’s 3-year contract with the Olde Providence Country Club expired following the 1989 season and the club declined to offer a renewal. The Heat then moved into the two-year old “new” Charlotte Coliseum, home to the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, for its fourth season in 1990. Attendance fell off in the giant building. The Heat’s final home appearance, a playoff victory over the New Jersey Stars on August 6th, 1991, drew only an estimated 500 fans in the 20,000+ seat Coliseum.1Barger, Rick. “Heat wins, cuts it close”. The Observer (Charlotte, NC). August 7, 1991
Owner Bob Benson sought to move the Heat to the more sympathetically-sized Independence Arena for the 1992 season.2Clarke, Liz. “Heat owner gives up rights to sell team”. The Observer (Charlotte, NC). August 12, 1992 But when that effort failed to come together, Benson suspended operations put the Heat up for sale in November 1991. The Heat failed to find a buyer and never returned to the court.
Trivia
Charlotte Heat owner Bob Benson previously owned the Carolina Lightnin’ (1981-1983), Charlotte’s first foray into professional soccer, during the early 1980’s.
Links
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