New minor league football team coming to the Cape Fear

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) —A new minor league football team is coming to the Cape Fear area, the Carolina Bengals will be on the field this summer, bringing semi-pro football back to the Legion Stadium Complex.

The Carolina Bengals, based out of Bladen County, says it’s a minor league team with an NFL attitude.

The team will practice on the field at east arcadia town park, and owners Jermain and Katrina Brown say the team is looking to hold tryouts for football players and cheerleaders at the park in June, for the summer football season.

“It will give an opportunity for the kids that don’t go off to school to college fields. So, we fundraise and get money together and get like small scholarships for them,” said Jermain Brown, Carolina Bengals co-owner. “We can get it filmed, get the films out to several local colleges, schools, try to get them into schools. Try to help them out, and also bring the excitement back. Like, the pandemic people sitting in the house, not having anything to do. Now they actually get a chance to get out, watch some football. You don’t have to travel far, as far as going to an NFL game.”

The team is looking for participants ages 18 and up, but is encouraging people of all ages to try out.

“Anyone can participate, we don’t have any age limits. You’re only as old as you feel. We have spots for anyone. You haven’t even had to participate in a sport before. If you just want to be a part of a team, you’re free to come out. We’re looking for chain gang members, coaches, assistant coaches, water team,” said Katrina.

The Bengals will hit the field for games under the Saturday night lights in Wilmington, at Legion Stadium Complex. The decision to play in the stadium was a no-brainer for the team’s owners.

“It’s the name basically, it’s the Legion Stadium. If you’re a local person and you’re not really being in a big city, you walk out there under those lights and it’s just like walking out in an NFL stadium, and I played here a couple years before and just being able to do a call and see that it was available, we had to try to get it,” said Jermain.

The Carolina Bengals belong to the Coastal Football Alliance, and will begin the summer football season in August.