The team was formed prior to the 2018 season as the Carolina Energy as members of the American Arena League (AAL) and was co-owned by Daniel Rudmann and head coach Ervin Bryson.
[2] They are the fourth team to play in Charlotte behind the Charlotte Rage and Carolina Cobras, both formerly of the Arena Football League, and the Carolina Speed of the American Indoor Football Association.
In 2020, the team was sold to an ownership group led by former NFL players, Ted Ginn Jr. and Thomas Davis Sr. and rebranded as the Charlotte Thunder.
[3] The team also has several other minority owners including former players Jeff Reed and Frank Garcia.
[5] The Thunder scheduled games against the West Michigan Ironmen, Alabama Empire, Carolina Predators, and Maryland Warriors.