By DAN KARELL
Heading into the 2014 North American Soccer League season, the Atlanta Silverbacks are not only welcoming in a new coach, but also a new ownership group.
The Silverbacks announced today that they’ve brought in a new ownership group consisting of longtime chairman Boris Jerkunica, vice-chairman John Latham, and brothers Henry and John Hardin. The Hardins run SCI Companies, a human resource corporation based out of Atlanta.
“The introduction of a new local ownership group is tremendously exciting for both the Atlanta Silverbacks organization and the local soccer community as a whole,” Jerkunica said. “Finding local ownership has been a long-term goal of ours. I couldn’t feel more honored to be a part of such a passionate and committed group of investors, which we’ll be actively looking to add to in the future.”
The new ownership replaces Traffic Sports as the majority owners of the Silverbacks. Jerkunica and Latham already owned minority shares in the club.
The Silverbacks won the NASL Spring Season title in 2013 with a record of 6-3-3, giving them the rights to host the NASL Soccer Bowl in November. Facing the New York Cosmos in the final, the Silverbacks were defeated, 1-0, after struggling through much of the Fall Season. Head coach Brian Haynes’ contract option was declined, ending his tenure after his first full season in charge.
The Silverbacks have yet to announce a replacement.
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What do you think of this news? Glad to see more local ownership in NASL? Think that this could boost the Silverbacks ahead of the 2014 NASL season?
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