Rodney Marsh was more than coach of the Carolina Lightnin’. By the team’s third season (1983), he also was General Manager and VP of Marketing. In fact, few aspects of the franchise were void of Marsh’s involvement. From the very beginning, he embraced Benson’s mantra about being in the entertainment business, which is no surprise to those who followed Marsh during his playing days or watched him on TV as one of the Miller Lite All-Stars. 

Before there were any players, Marsh was the face and voice of the team. He never upstaged his players, but even after Tony Suarez exploded as Charlotte’s first pro sports superstar, Marsh’s popularity never waned. With the complete support of team president Bob Benson, as far as the public was concerned, Marsh was the Carolina Lightnin’.