MLS Team in Atlanta

#26
#26
VolsSportsFan said:
I have to agree, Atlanta isn't really a great sports town. They've lost 2 NHL teams, the Hawks have terrible crowds, and the Braves and Falcons are supported but even they seem to have trouble filling up. Plus I hate to say it but Atlanta comes off as a really bandwagon city. I know to an extent everywhere is like that, but when the Braves and Falcons are sucking, they don't draw well at all.

As far as Georgia Tech, they don't get near the support they used to. Their football stadium isn't really that big and they still struggle to fill it.

I'm with Milo, I'm highly skeptical an MLS team will succeed there.
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GT's problem is that their alumni do not stay in the Metro-Atlanta area or even Georgia.
 
#27
#27
milohimself said:
I might concede some ground there. The timbers has great early grassroots support by locals, but the raucous behemoth that is the current iteration of the timbers army has just as many east Portland (read: transplants) as natives. However, the common thread is the social interaction and alternative culture manifested in sport.

The strength of support for a franchise in Atlanta is going to come from the millennial crowd. I'm not sure what that element is like in Atlanta.
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Well, Braves crowds at the games I've been to have skewed younger and considerably more raucous in the last couple of years. My theory has been that we finally have a cohort of the transplants' kids who have grown up here and consider this home. And many of them grew up playing soccer, at least for awhile. They're here and they'll have disposable income. Should be an easy sell.
 
#28
#28
Vercingetorix said:
Well, Braves crowds at the games I've been to have skewed younger and considerably more raucous in the last couple of years. My theory has been that we finally have a cohort of the transplants' kids who have grown up here and consider this home. And many of them grew up playing soccer, at least for awhile. They're here, if MLS can get them interested.
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It would be great to have a soccer league that really became popular. Quality wise it would probably be comparable to Mexico and most of Latin America(outside of Argentina and Brazil).
 
#29
#29
I liked the Orlando City expansion
I didn't like the Miami expansion
The silverbacks get good crowds for bad soccer. I'll go just to see my Earthquakes play there
 
#30
#30
The Hawks are owned by the same losers that drove the Thrashers into the ground. I would support an Arthur blank team.
 
#32
#32
SWIL said:
The Hawks are owned by the same losers that drove the Thrashers into the ground. I would support an Arthur blank team.
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good point. Arthur Blank has been pushing for this team for a lot of years. he isnt going to half ass it. his son is also heavily engrossed in the Atlanta soccer scene, whatever that means. (heard it on a talk show.) how does one use the NFL team to help market the MLS team as Seattle did? how does that actually work?
 
#33
#33
Is the long term plan here to have them play in the Falcons new stadium or is that just the short term answer until they can get an actual MLS-appropriate stadium built?
 
#34
#34
Not sure. The league front office seems to have cooled down on the soccer specific stadium requirement, but I imagine a joint football soccer stadium plan would fit the bill.
 
#35
#35
If this is really happening, I will have to travel to ATL a few times a year to catch some games. I'm not a huge MLS fan, but having professional soccer anywhere near here gets me excited. This will definitely help gear me more towards watching MLS.
 
#36
#36
Having a TV deal in place will be a part of that, as will the usmnt success in Brazil this summer. Especially now that many of them are featured in mls
 
#37
#37
Looks like Atlanta will be called the Phoenix. I like it, continues with the bird themed franchise names and makes reference to Sherman's March. I like it
 
#41
#41
Is that really what the name of the team will be?
I just googled Atlanta PHoenix, and it is/was a professional women's football team.
 
#42
#42
The Flames would have been a better name or even the Chiefs like the 60s-70s Atlanta soccer team.
 
#43
#43
Seal_of_Atlanta.png

City of ATL Seal
 
#44
#44
Panthro said:
Is that really what the name of the team will be?
I just googled Atlanta PHoenix, and it is/was a professional women's football team.
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The phoenix has a lot of symbolism in the city (rising from the ashes of Sherman's march, bird-themed sports franchises, etc.). I think it's really cool. If Charlotte ever gets a team, though, I'll be conflicted on who to cheer for.
 
#45
#45
I was hoping Nashville would get a team so I wouldn't have support an Arthur Blank team. I probably will get behind this team just because they're closest to Knoxville.
 
#46
#46
Panthro said:
I was hoping Nashville would get a team so I wouldn't have support an Arthur Blank team. I probably will get behind this team just because they're closest to Knoxville.
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Doesn't knoxville have a team? Pretty sure I saw them on the Nashville FC schedule.
 
#47
#47
There are a number of southern teams in usl pro and nasl. I don't think Nashville has a team in either league though
 
#48
#48
milohimself said:
There are a number of southern teams in usl pro and nasl. I don't think Nashville has a team in either league though
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They're trying to get it going again after the Metros finally folded. Google NashvilleFC and you'll find their website. For 75 dollars you can get a t shirt, season ticket and get a vote at board meetings. I'm not too far from Vandy where they'll play home games this year so I will probably walk up to a match or 2.

looks like they have a 3-4 year plan to get sanctioned.
 
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#49
#49
Sounds promising. As somebody who has been going to timbers matches since the usl pro days, nothing feels quite as good as supporting a side then seeing them make it to the top flight. Go get in on the ground floor, bring friends and family, come up with some chants and enjoy yourself. You won't regret it.
 
#50
#50
Panthro said:
I was hoping Nashville would get a team so I wouldn't have support an Arthur Blank team. I probably will get behind this team just because they're closest to Knoxville.
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I may be the only one, but I think the Atlanta team is going to thrive and have a very energetic atmosphere. I think they will go to extreme lengths to give the stadium its own soccer identity and fans wil be attracted.
 
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