Major League Soccer Places Atlanta on the Radar

In his State of the League address earlier this week, MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Atlanta is one of the areas that could see an expansion team before the end of the decade.

But would a soccer team thrive in Atlanta?

“As an Atlanta native, I’m skeptical, simply because I’ve seen so many franchises come and go over the years that have not been successful,” says sports author Tim Darnell.

That includes the Atlanta Chiefs, a Major League Soccer team that had two brief, and unsuccessful, stints.

The team collapsed for good in 1981.

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Among the names linked to the possible new team is Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank.

“It’s got its strongest chances of success with him at the helm.  Anyone else, I don’t think really, it stands very much of a chance,” says Darnell.

And some believe there is a strong demand for soccer in the metro area.

“Competition at youth ranks has translated to the parents really getting into it and the kids wanting to learn more and go see the pros,” says Neal Malone, a spokesman for the Atlanta Silverbacks, a professional soccer team in the division below MLS.

Malone says attendance for the Silverbacks has grown 101% over the past three years.

Jacob Daniel is the director of coaching for Georgia Soccer, which is affiliated with the U.S. Soccer Federation.

He says he has seen the ripple effect of local soccer interest inside the Georgia Dome.

“Anytime we bring in high-level soccer to the Dome, it packs the place,” says Daniel.

Major League Soccer admits nothing is final, although the league says talks with Blank have been positive.