Win or lose, Charleston Battery maintain loyal fans

And right now they are winning!

Credit: Charleston Battery

By Reagan Goodwin

It's a perfect Saturday night in Charleston. 

A hot, humid day is finally giving way to more manageable temperatures as the sun sets and city lights take over.

While many organized a day at the beach or others strolled King Street’s array of fancy boutiques and upscale restaurants, a dedicated minority headed to Patriots Point to cheer on the Holy City’s professional soccer team, The Battery.

Mikey Buytas is a long-time fan and member of an independent support group for the Battery, known as The Regiment. 

“I’ve made long-time friendships with other members of the Regiment and La Barra,” Buytas said. “Watched couples meet and kids grow.”

But Buytas knows firsthand just how difficult it can be to bring in a strong crowd every home game. 

“I have seen some new faces at the stadium,” Buytas said. “And I’ve had a couple more casual fans ask me about Battery matches.”

The Battery faces the challenge of attracting fans while keeping its existing supporters engaged throughout the season. 

In a city with numerous entertainment options, the team has relied on its main supporters and community presence to maintain interest. 

“Charleston [is not] a sports market,” said Kathryn Canfield, digital marketing specialist for the Charleston Battery. “We don't surround our community around sports.”

The Charleston Battery currently ranks 17th of 25 teams in the USL Championship league for attendance. 

And while that is not where the team would ideally like to be, it doesn't mean the community the Battery has already established does not show up and show out to support its local team.

The Regiment consists of the team's longest-time supporters who repeatedly bring their all for every home game of the season. 

“Our supporter section, they are ride or die, which is so fun to see,” Canfield said. “Especially being in Charleston and not being in a sports city."

With their own dedicated fan section in Patriots Point, The Regiment provides vocal support with chants and drums. 

Along with visual support of smoke bombs, flags, and posters.

Charleston Battery staff are able to acknowledge the amount of dedication and effort the supporter groups bring to each game

“It's super exciting, and we know that we can rely on them to, like, help bring up the energy” Canfield said. “ They're always there and they're cheering around.” 

This immense amount of support is one of the key reasons the support for the Battery is always growing.

The local team averages around 3,900 fans for their home games, filling over half of the Patriots Point Stadium. 

These numbers can also be attributed to the Battery’s history and long lasting legacy the team carries. 

The Charleston Battery soccer team was founded in 1993, making it the one of the longest consecutive operating clubs in the country. 

“We've been around for many years,” Canfield said. “And a lot of our season ticket holders have been here since the beginning.” 

Having such a strong and supportive fan base for over 20 years, has been a wonderful asset for the team. 

Back in August, The Battery recognized its USL Cup Championship team by introducing specialty throwback jerseys to show their honor and appreciation for not only the players, but fans as well. 

They encourage the team to keep going, driving them to perform well for the fans watching. 

And it's been working as The Battery play in the USL Championship Nov. 14 to a sell-out crowd.

“The legacy and the supporters...it's unmatched,” Canfield said. “And we have a great supporter group.”