Though beach towns like Wilmington tend to freak out at shark sightings, excitement reigns as the city prepares for the return of the Wilmington Hammerheads.
The professional soccer team enjoyed a successful stint in the Port City from 1996 to 2009, including a league title in 2003, before economic woes forced the team to shut down. Bill Rudisill owned the team for a decade before selling to an ownership group that eventually folded the team. Rudisill spoke at length about the upcoming season.
“There seems to be a lot of enthusiasm. People missed (the team). Financially, it’s a challenge. I got my hands full,” Rudisill said.
The team opens the 2011 season on April 16 at 7:30 p.m. against the Rochester Rhinos, a historically strong team in the United Soccer League Pro, the nation’s top minor soccer league. Rudisill expects more than 5,000 people to attend the opener.
“We think it will be sold out,” Rudisill said of the first Hammerheads game at Legion Stadium in more than 18 months.
“If everyone who says they’re happy we’re back comes to the games, we’re going to be fine,” Rudisill said.
“There’s been a lot of interest since they’ve been gone,” said Mayor Bill Saffo. “I’m really excited about that.”
 The key for the team, beyond goals and goalies, is cash flow.
“The biggest thing right now is selling sponsorships. Sponsorships are what it’s all about,” Rudisill said.
So far, the Hammerheads have signed some of Wilmington’s largest employers and companies to sponsorship deals. On the team’s website, the sponsors prominently featured include New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington Orthopaedic Group, Stevenson Automotive Group, RBC Bank, Wilmington Athletic Club and many others.
Rudisill also points out that the city is a key strategic partner with the team on the Legion Stadium lease.

“We’ve got a really good deal with the city. They run the concessions and we get 75 percent of net profits from the food and alcohol,” Rudisill said, adding that the deal is similarly structured to the team’s previous deal.

“I’m even more excited [the team is] coming back to one of the original owners. [Rudisill] did a great job,” Saffo said. He added that he looks forward to seeing the Hammerheads play on the new Turf Field the city installed at Legion Stadium.

The key now is to keep sponsors happy and supporters coming to the games. Rudisill said he would like to sell about 3,500 season tickets, though he acknowledged that might be optimistic. In previous seasons, the Hammerheads were among USL leaders in attendance, averaging between 2,500 and 3,000 people a game.

“Ticket sales are way up. They are going fast. It’s been pretty humbling with the economic situation that people are supporting us like they are,” Rudisill said.

The Hammerheads are also working hard to bring groups to games. Matt Sadler handles group ticket sales and he has reached out to youth groups, soccer groups, church groups and just about anything in between. Rudisill said he hopes that Hammerhead players from UNCW may help the team market to the university.

“We need to get into UNCW more. We hope that they’ll help us over there,” Rudisill said.

The Hammerhead ownership includes Rudisill and three doctors: Dr. and Mrs. Clyde Harris, Dr. Mario Basegoda and Dr. Sara Borcherding.

“It’s hard to measure success. If we could break even and put a good product on the field we will do it.”

Rudisill had mixed emotions about getting back into professional soccer.

“I wasn’t sure how I’d react, it takes a lot of time. I was ready to sell in 2008, but I was really excited at the tryouts seeing the players. I love getting to see those players.