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Atlanta United to play in Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium to start season

Photo by Jason Getz/USA TODAY Sports
Photo by Jason Getz/USA TODAY Sports

They’ll have to wait until summer to play in their own stadium, but one of MLS’ newest teams will be able to give their home fans a show in a temporary home.

Atlanta United announced that they would begin their inaugural 2017 season playing in Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium. The 55,000-seat college football arena will provide a temporary home for the expansion side until their own Mercedes-Benz Stadium is ready in the summer.

“The excitement and anticipation for Atlanta United to begin play in Atlanta is evident every time we interact with the supporters so we are very pleased to partner with Georgia Tech to get our home schedule started,” said Steve Cannon, CEO of Atlanta United’s parent company, AMB Group. “We’re equally pleased with the on-going progress at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It is going to be an outstanding venue for our team and an incredible customer experience for the supporters. We look forward to announcing more in regards to the grand opening events schedule early next year.”

The team originally planned to play the first three months of the season entirely on the road, similar to the approach Toronto FC took this season with their home stadium under construction. Instead, Atlanta United will play a balanced schedule of home and away matches and anticipates debuting their new stadium in the late summer, pending the 2017 MLS schedule.aat

“With the amount of excitement we’ve seen for the club, especially over the past few months as our season ticket sales have continued to rise, it was evident that playing at home for the first part of the season was in the best interest of our fans and our players.” stated team president Darren Eales, “We’re very pleased that we are able to open the 2017 MLS season at Bobby Dodd Stadium.”

 

Comments

  1. No cons playing on real grass for awhile . Every time football is played on artifical cancer-causing turf, a puppy dies…the game is meant to be played on real grass…professional football on fake turf should be made illegal…sharing a fake turf staidum with an NFL team-beyond awful!

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  2. DC is going to face the same issue. I think they’ll be in RFK for the beginning of 2018. They keep talking about extended road trip to start the season, but they would end up playing the majority (12+ of 17) of their away games to start the season off.

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  3. Pros and cons here. STH myself. Its better for the team and their chances to getting a halfway decent start, and they get to play on grass, outside, and the stadium is arguably more accesible, since most of the fanbase is likely from central or northern atlanta anyway (good transit connections). The cons are for potential stadium delays. It gets hot by the time June rolls around and believe me, any daytime games should be out of the question. We were initially told June, now the email we got simply said “summer”. Is that June, July, August? I can guarantee you that they are more concerned about getting it done in time for the Falcons and ATLU. Also, we were led to believe that all of the home games would be at the new stadium. I actually like this better, but more transparency is needed.

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    • Agreed. Also a STH and I think most (if not all) of the negative feelings can be alleviated. The three things that seem to be making people the most unhappy, in no particular order, are 1) the uncertainty about alcohol and other concessions, 2) the amenities offered to those who bought club level seats, and 3) the feeling of being misled or manipulated by previous club statements about the schedule. Hopefully the powers that be will find a way to address or compensate ticket holders with respect to those issues.

      Personally I’m looking forward to seeing the games earlier and not having as many trips bunched together (as I’m coming from over an hour away). MBS will be really nice and it will be permanent so all the things I’m looking forward to will remain there after this season; having a half of dozen or so games before we get there is okay with me, but to be fair none of those three issues I listed apply to me either.

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  4. This is awesome. Having been to GT games, it’s right near the North Ave Marta station and a great view of downtown. I feel like this stadium will be a more intimate feel/better home field advantage than the cavernous Nfl-sized permanent home.

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    • Agree. In fact I would be twice as excited about the new ATL franchise if Bobby Dodd stadium was their permanent home. You can’t beat playing on real grass.

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