Charlotte Crown

Charlotte Crown
League	UpShot League
Founded	2025
History	2026–
Arena	Bojangles Coliseum
Capacity	8,600
Location	Charlotte, North Carolina
Team colors	Royal purple, Black, White
Head coach	Trisha Stafford-Odom
Ownership	Zawyer Sports & Entertainment
Website	CrownUpShot.com

The Charlotte Crown are a professional women's basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The team is part of the UpShot League, a developmental women's basketball league in the United States. The Crown are one of the league's inaugural franchises, set to begin play in May 2026.

History

In October 2025, the UpShot League unveiled the Charlotte Crown as its newest franchise, marking the return of professional women's basketball to the Queen City. The team is operated by Zawyer Sports & Entertainment, which also owns the Charlotte Checkers and the Gastonia Ghost Peppers. The UpShot League is set to debut in May 2026 with four teams: the Charlotte Crown, Jacksonville Waves, Savannah Steel, and Greensboro Groove. The league aims to provide a platform for aspiring athletes aiming to reach the WNBA. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Coach

Former WNBA player Trisha Stafford-Odom has been named the first head coach of the Charlotte Crown. Stafford-Odom brings a wealth of experience to the team, having previously coached at Duke, North Carolina Central, and the University of North Carolina. She is committed to scouting local talent and building a competitive team. ^{[1] [2]}

Name

The name is a reference to the city's nickname, "The Queen City," as the city was named for Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. ^[2]

Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

Arena

The Crown will play their home games at Bojangles Coliseum, located in Charlotte. The arena has a seating capacity of 8,600 and will host the team's 17 regular-season games from May to August. ^[1]

An overhead shot of Bojangles Coliseum (left).

Ownership

Zawyer Sports & Entertainment, the team's owners, is a Florida-based company. They are committed to investing in facilities for its teams, including plans for a $20 million, 90,000-square-foot basketball venue to house the Crown's practice sessions. Discussions are underway to secure local government funding for the facility. ^[1]

References

1. Cerniglia, Colin. "Here's the UPSHOT: Charlotte's pro women's basketball team unveils name, logo". CharlotteObserver.com. The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
2. Mahoney, Ashley. "Charlotte's new pro women's basketball team reveals name and head coach". Axios.com. Axios Charlotte. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
3. Alissa. "New Team Announcement: Charlotte Crown Joins the UPSHOT League". UpShotLeague.com. UpShot League. Retrieved 14 October 2025.