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Reports: Atlanta to be announced as latest MLS expansion city

AtlantaFalconsSoccerConfigurationDesign2 (AtlantaFalcons)

 By IVES GALARCEP

The city of Atlanta, long considered one of the favorites to land a team in the latest round of Major League Soccer expansion, has been granted an MLS expansion team, multiple news outlets reported on Sunday.

An announcement unveiling Atlanta as the latest MLS expansion city will be held on April 16, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Atlanta, Orlando and Miami have long been linked together as the next wave of expansion cities. Orlando has already been formally announced as joining MLS in 2015, while the David Beckham-led Miami expansion team is awaiting finalization of its stadium project before being formally introduced as an official expansion team.

The Atlanta team, which will be owned by NFL Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, is set to share a new stadium with the Falcons that Blank will be building in the coming years.

The Atlanta team will reportedly begin play in 2017 as he 22nd team in MLS.

What do you think of this development? Think Atlanta will be a big hit as an expansion city? Which city would you like to see join Orlando and Miami in the latest wave of MLS expansion?

Share your thoughts below.

 

Comments

  1. NASL Commissioner Bill Peterson on the future of the Silverbacks:

    “I think everyone’s known for some time of [MLS’] intentions in Atlanta. We continue to evaluate what that means. My personal opinion is that Atlanta is a city that would benefit from more than one professional soccer club and may actually raise the awareness and excitement levels throughout the region. I think this could be a good thing for all of us, on and off the field. Having said that, I’m not the owner of the team. [The team’s owners] continue to evaluate their situation. They don’t have to make a decision today; I don’t think [the MLS club] will play before 2017. We do have a long tradition with the Silverbacks and Silverbacks Park … They feel very good about the direction they’re heading.

    At some point [the Silverback’ owners] have to decide whether it matters that there’s another club in the Atlanta area. They’re going to think about what type of effect this may have on their commercial sponsorships, their fan base, and on community and government support.”

    http://www.indyweek.com/triangleoffense/archives/2014/04/08/nasl-commissioner-bill-peterson-discusses-league-expansion-playoffs-mls-paid-match-streaming-and-other-topics-in-advance-of-2014-regular-se

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  2. Atlanta will be a mistake, sharing a stadium with NFL team is a massive mistake.

    Garber got all hard on the south all of a sudden and is going into it too fast, past teams failed for a reason

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  3. Let’s play guess the 24th team. I would think the conversation would be between Minnesota and San Antonio, and to less of an extent Detroit, St. Louis, Charlotte, Austin, and San Diego. There is also the wildcard that is the former Chivas USA.

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    • I think San Antonio is Plan B if Chivas doesn’t find an LA suitor this season. After all they can grant an expansion to LA whenever they find one, not necessarily the former Chivas USA.

      SA already has a SSS only needing to expand, and an established team. Maybe they don’t have the cash, but if no LA partner is found, MLS can give them a discount, just to offload the cost of Chivas USA.

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  4. I read that Silverbacks stadium is expected to increase to 15-20k. Why don’t the owners work together and put an MLS team and improve Silverbacks stadium?

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    • It’s not necessarily that the stadium couldn’t be expanded at Silverbacks park, it’s really a parking issue. As it is now, the park is dropped between a major highway and a residential area. On gamedays the practice/amateur league fields are made parking lots. Imagine how your legs feel after playing a league game on one of those fields. Anyway, the point is that there is really no room for more parking to accomodate “over capacity” at 6000 people much less 10 or 15 or 20000.

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  5. I only problems with expansion: no major salary cap increase (at least $600k), no increase of DP or DP exemption of salary cap, and the quality of product.

    I personally prefer Atlanta over Miami.

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    • I agree with you on the salary cap increase because that’s the only way the league will attract quality players. Also I know Miami what happened the last time we had a franchise but I believe this time it will be successful.

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    • Not me. I prefer Miami.Both are historically mediocore sports towns. But if i had to choose between the two I take miami. simply because miami has more int’l appeal. I Dont think a lot of DPs will be interested in playing in Atl.

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