Mike Callas Stadium at North Hagerstown High School - Hub City FC
- Gregory Koch
- 7 hours ago
- 6 min read
Photo by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57
Mike Callas Stadium at North Hagerstown High School 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue Hagerstown, MD 21742
Year Opened: 2006 Capacity: 2,200
Your Soccer Hub in Hagerstown
Hub City FC is a low-level semi-professional soccer team in Hagerstown, Maryland, competing in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). The name is a homage to a nickname of the city of Hagerstown. Unofficially, Hub City FC is nicknamed The Black Roses, symbolizing the team's passion and commitment to the city and fans. In the team's inaugural 2026 season, Hub City plays its home games at Mike Callas Stadium on the campus of North Hagerstown High School, a multi-purpose stadium that also hosts many of the high school's athletic teams during the school year.
The NPSL, together with the UPSL and the confusingly named USL League Two, comprise the fourth division of American soccer. They are the highest level that is not fully professional, and consist mostly of current college soccer players and recent graduates. The pay is structured in a way that allows current athletes to retain their amateur eligibility if they are competing in the NPSL over the summer. Although the NPSL is a national league, teams play in regional conferences until the playoffs, when the conference champions face off against each other in several rounds leading up to the national championship. Hub City FC competes in the Mid-Atlantic Conference against other teams from DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Food & Beverage 5
The food and beverage situation at a Hub City FC match is outstanding for this level. Rather than utilize the permanent concession stand at Mike Callas Stadium, Hub City has partnered with several local merchants who set up tents and food trucks in a grassy area to the right of the seating area. Although the exact selection varies by game, especially on weeknights, the experience for Stadium Journey's visit is representative.
The Captain's Creations food truck serves a wide variety of meals to hungry fans including chicken salad sliders, pepperoni rolls, a yogurt berry parfait for fans looking for something on the lighter side, blackened shrimp tacos, and several specialty hot dogs. The island street hot dogs are topped with mango, red pepper and jalapeño salsa, avocado crema, and pico de gallo. The bay dogs are topped with Captain's Creations' own crab dip, and sprinkled with Old Bay seasoning. The ultimate crunch dog comes with crunchy slaw, barbecue sauce, and potato chips on it. All hot dog meals include two all-beef hot dogs and come with a side of chips (even the one that has chips on the hot dog.) A standard kid's hot dog is also available, and the crab dip is also available by itself. Sides include pretzel braids (served with spicy mustard), watermelon goat cheese bites, and cucumber and onion salad. For dessert, fans can enjoy apple nachos - apple slices topped with caramel sauce, whipped cream, walnuts,. chocolate chips, and sprinkles. Soda and bottled water are also available.
The Soda Social is also on hand selling dirty sodas out of a tent. For those who are unaware, a dirty soda is a soda mixed with your choice of flavored syrups and other mix-ins such as cream or marshmallow fluff. Kona Ice has a truck on hand as well.
Atmosphere 3
Mike Callas Stadium seats approximately 2,200 fans, so in this small, intimate environment, everyone will have a good view of the action. The seats closest to midfield are red chairbacks, while some sections closer to the endlines are metal bleachers without backs. All seating is general admission, and you should have no problem grabbing chairback seats given the crowds. However, you will find a few people sitting in the bleachers, which tend to be less crowded and give fans more room to spread out if they prefer. A scoreboard behind the goal on the right-hand side shows only the most basic information, although there is room for other info that only applies to football, such as down and yards to go. As multiple sports are played here, there are many different lines on the field. Just remember the soccer lines are yellow and ignore the other ones.
There is not much going on here other than the game itself, and as this is soccer, there is not much chance for it to happen due to the constant action. Music is played before the game and at halftime. Annoyingly, it is also sometimes played briefly before corner kicks. The PA announcer announces the starting lineups before the game as well as substitutions and does ad reads for local sponsors who help support the team. Overall, however, this is an experience created by the fans and we will discuss that in more detail in the appropriate section.
Neighborhood 3
As the name would imply, North Hagerstown High School is located in the northern part of the city of Hagerstown. There are a few businesses located along or near Pennsylvania Avenue by the stadium, including Harmans Tavern and Bistro 11. If you head a few miles to Downtown Hagerstown near Washington Avenue, which you will have to do anyway to get to or from the highway, you will find many more options, ranging from taverns and bars to Peruvian and Thai cuisine and more. That being said, there are also some parts of Hagerstown that aren't as nice that you may need to drive through to get here.
Fans 5
Despite only being in its inaugural season, Hub City FC is already drawing crowds well above what is standard for the NPSL. Although the stadium won't fill up, there are several hundred fans in attendance for a typical home game. Most NPSL teams draw under a hundred fans, but you will find several times that at a Black Roses game.
Many of those in the crowd wear Hub City merchandise, from scarves bearing the team logo to t-shirts with the team slogan - Nothing But Grind. They cheer throughout the game and celebrate after Hub City goals, with many of them waving the aforementioned scarves around. The team and community support each other and make for an outstanding experience at a Hub City game.
Access 3
The City of Hagerstown is located along Interstate 70, although you will have to drive several miles off the highway to get to the stadium. Once you arrive, follow the signs for visitor parking and it will take you to a large lot outside Mike Callas Stadium, with another lot adjacent to it once that fills up. Some spots are marked as reserved for school staff, but you can ignore these markings for a Hub City game. Once inside, restrooms are located to your left as you come in and are of a more than sufficient size for the crowd. The concourse at the top is also more than wide enough to accommodate all fans.
Return on Investment 5
Admission to Hub City FC games costs just $10, with children under ten getting in for just $5. The price of food and drink is about standard given the quality of what you're getting. Captain's Creations charges typical food truck prices, and while The Soda Social will cost more than a typical soda, this makes sense as it is not just a typical soda. (And if you do just want a typical soda, that will cost only $2 at the food truck.) Overall, given the quality of the experience, a Hub City FC game is an outstanding value.
Extras 1
Look for the merchandise table to the left of the entrance selling Hub City FC merchandise.
Final Thoughts
Although Hub City FC is still in its inaugural season, they have already created a solid fan expereince for their home games. The team is committed to the city and its fans, and in return, the fans have returned the favor. You don't often see that kind of atmosphere at this level, but a Hub City FC match is a must-see for any soccer fans in the Hagerstown area.
