Photos by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.71
Patriots Point Soccer Stadium 85 Patriot Points Rd Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
Year Opened: 2020 Capacity: 3,900
The Energized Battery
The Charleston Battery is one of the oldest continuously operating professional soccer clubs in the United States, as it was founded in 1993. It has played in several different soccer leagues, including the USISL Pro League, the USLA-League, and the USL Second Division. The team currently plays at the USL Championship level.
The Battery plays its home matches in the Patriots Point Soccer Stadium located in Mount Pleasant, SC, just across the Cooper River from downtown Charleston. The iconic Arthur Ravenel Bridge towers over the stadium and provides a dramatic backdrop during home matches. The stadium presently has a capacity of 3,900, with plans to expand to 5,000 over the next few seasons. The stadium also serves the soccer program for the College of Charleston.
Patriots Point Soccer Complex is the club’s third home pitch in its long history. The previous homes for the Battery were Stoney Field (1993-1998) and MUSC Health Stadium (1999-2019). Patriots Point held its inaugural season with fans allowed in 2021, after a shortened pandemic season in 2020, where fans were not allowed in the stadium.
Food & Beverage 5
Charleston is known as a foodie heaven, and the food and beverage selection at Battery matches will allow you to sample the best it has to offer. Before each match, a wide selection of food vendors is set up in the pregame pavilion area.
Among the restaurants represented at every match are Home Team BBQ (chicken wings for $10, pork cracklins for $9, pork sandwiches for $10); Coastal Crust Pizza (cheese pizza for $15, pepperoni pizza for $16, and sausage and mushroom pizza for $17) and Cochita’s Kitchen (tacos for $3, quesadillas for $12, gourmet burritos for $14 and Cuban sandwiches for $12). Co-Op Burgers, Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream, T&T Kettle Korn, Foxes Fried, Taste of Berlin, and the Immortal Lobster operate on a rotating basis at Battery games.
The stadium serves Coca-Cola brand soft drinks ($4), Recover 180 energy drinks ($6), lemonade ($4) and water ($3). Adult beverages are sold pregame in the Beer Garden and at concession stands during the matches. Brands represented at every match include Bud Light ($6), Heineken ($5), Rusty Bull Pale Ale for $8 (features the Strikers’ Wit Battery Soccer Edition in a can), Wicked Weed ($8) and Porch Pounder ($10).
Atmosphere 5
A day or evening out at a Battery match is a picnic, a brew fest, a concert and a soccer match all rolled into one. Gates open 90 minutes prior to each match, with pregame activities centered around the pavilion area. This area includes a concert stage with different groups performing at each game, several vendors pouring in the beer garden, supporter group gatherings under tents, several food trucks and a team store. A miniature kid’s pitch will keep the little ones entertained. The Supporter Groups March takes place 30 minutes prior to kickoff.
Neighborhood 4
Mount Pleasant is an eastern suburb of Charleston, SC. It is across the Cooper River and Charleston Harbor from Downtown Charleston. It is easily accessed via the Charles Ravenel Bridge. Mount Pleasant offers a wide variety of recreational activities for visitors. It offers beachfront activities along the Atlantic Ocean on the city’s eastern border. Two sites visitors will want to check out while visiting are the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum and the Boone Plantation and Gardens, which feature lush gardens in the springtime, as well as educational activities about the Gullah culture which flourishes in this area.
There are several hotels and restaurants along Johnnie Dodds Boulevard and Coleman Boulevard that offer easy access to the Patriots Point Soccer Stadium.
Across the harbor from Mount Pleasant is the tourist mecca of Charleston. The city offers a wide variety of historical sites, including Rainbow Row, the Battery and The Citadel, great shopping along Meeting Street and wonderful restaurants throughout the city. For detailed information on things to do in Charleston, go to www.charlestoncvb.com
Fans 4
The Charleston Battery has a strong fanbase headed by its supporter groups. The Regiment is its longest-running supporter group and is also the largest. Queen Anne’s Revenge is a younger group that is decidedly more contemporary, as it utilizes yellow smoke and a drumline throughout the matches. Its drumline leads the supporter group marches into the stadium 30 minutes prior to every match. Charleston Barra Brava consists of members of Charleston’s Hispanic population. The supporters’ section is a General Admission area located behind the goal at the northern end of the pitch.
Access 5
Patriots Point is easily accessed via the Arthur Ravenel Bridge from downtown Charleston or I-26 and North Charleston.
After getting onto the Arthur Ravenel Bridge towards Mount Pleasant, get in the right lane and exit at the SC 703 ramp towards Sullivan’s Island. Turn right at Patriots Point Road.
Once at Patriot Point Soccer Stadium, you can enter through any one of three gates. Seating is at the eastern, western, and northern sides of the pitch. There are no seats any further away than 20 rows from the pitch, and the aisles are wide and easy to navigate.
Return on Investment 5
A night or afternoon at the Battery games will not drain your budget. Tickets run from $25-$35 for seats along the sides of the pitch, with the higher priced tickets reflecting their closeness to the field. General Admission is $12 and is located behind the goal at the north end of the pitch. This is also the Supporter Section. Tickets are available the day of the game at the two ticket offices located at the stadium. However, Battery games frequently sell out prior to the day of the match, so we strongly urge you to prepurchase your ticket at the team’s Seat Geek online website prior to the day of the game.
There are five parking lots servicing the stadium. The White lot costs $10, and the Orange lot is $5, as it is located 5 minutes from the stadium at the Shrine Temple. A second offsite lot, the Purple lot is also $5, and is located at the Patriots Point Naval Museum adjacent to the stadium. The Yellow and Blue lots are reserved for season ticket holders.
There are a wide variety of concession vendors available during the pregame activities around the Pavilion and at concession stands during the matches. The prices are very reasonable. A team store is also open during each match, with merchandise at several price points.
All transactions are cashless at Patriots Point.
Extras 5
The USS Yorktown aircraft carrier is permanently moored at the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum, which is adjacent to the soccer stadium and is well worth a visit.
The Battery hosts the Carolina Challenge Cup each season. It pits four MLS and USL teams in a round-robin competition over one week.
The Battery team name is a salute to the famous seawall and promenade in downtown Charleston. The team’s use of a cannon in its logo is a historical reference to the artillery placements that were placed along the Battery. A cannon is fired at the beginning and end of every match, as well as after each Charleston goal.
The Patriot Point Soccer Stadium lies in the shadow of the iconic Arthur Ravenel Bridge. The 2.5-mile span connects Charleston and Mount Pleasant as it crosses the Cooper River. It is designed to withstand winds of more than 300 MPH. This is necessary as Charleston is prone to hurricanes.
The port of Charleston is one of the largest container ports on the East Coast. Patriot Point has repurposed shipping containers to serve as “suite boxes.” Each suite includes a bar and seating atop of the container or on a deck built in front of the shipping container.
Final Thoughts
The Charleston Battery is one of the pioneers in professional soccer in the United States. Their new stadium at Patriots Point offers a great place to enjoy a soccer match, with a quality pregame experience, exciting action on the pitch and the dramatic backdrop of the Arthur Ravenel Bridge hovering over the stadium. Best of all, the tourist mecca of Charleston is just across the bridge, offering great restaurants and a plethora of interesting historical sites to enjoy.