Will Atlanta ever get an MLS team. (2015, to buy)

[green_mariner]

Atlanta has so many big league sports, even the NHL, but how is it that an MLS team isn't coming here?

[BobKovacs]

It's possible that it'll happen as the latino/hispanic community grows, as that's typically a large portion of the crowd at soccer games. Soccer hasn't become mainstream enough for blacks and whites to really get into it in large numbers like football or baseball. Now add the popularity of NASCAR in the south, and you've got a limited amount of folks available to support a team. Beckham was supposed to bring big "white" crowds to MLS, but he's turned out to be a dud (and a stupidly expensive dud at that).

Another thing that pushes people to support soccer in places like CA and NJ is that you can't walk in and buy a ticket to a baseball or football game on gameday for $10 like you can in Atlanta- you'll pay a scalper hundreds for a ticket in those places, or you've got to buy season ticket packages (if you can even get them for teams like the Giants or Jets). That leaves soccer, hockey, and basketball if you want to catch a live game.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

Atlanta has so many big league sports, even the NHL, but how is it that an MLS team isn't coming here?

I miss the NASL. We used to go to Minnesota Kicks games all the time, and it was a lot of fun when teams like the New York Cosmos would roll into town.

I'm glad the NHL is here, but I've yet to see a game here. Maybe when the Wild come down to take advantage of the Trashers' hospitality.

[SEAandATL]

That'll be cool if ATL gets an MLS team.

[fil]

Atlanta has a USL team: Atlanta Silverbacks
They play under the bridge at Spaghetti junction.

Considering that the now defunct Women's United Soccer Association came and saw modest turnout, I doubt that a MSL FC will come to Atlanta.

In a way, it's sad that only 13 teams exist in the US. Good for me, there are 2 teams in Texas.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by fil

Atlanta has a USL team: Atlanta Silverbacks
They play under the bridge at Spaghetti junction.

Considering that the now defunct Women's United Soccer Association came and saw modest turnout, I doubt that a MSL FC will come to Atlanta.

In a way, it's sad that only 13 teams exist in the US. Good for me, there are 2 teams in Texas.

Wow. So-called football country of Texas has more chances(and are using them too), of getting a soccer team. From what I hear Seattle is getting an MLS team before Atlanta does.

[sj73]

About two years ago, there had been talk of Gwinnett County researching the possibility of building a huge soccer complex, but that hasn't been discussed again since they now have the Atlanta Braves minor league team and are now building a stadium for them.

[blackrabbit]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

Atlanta has so many big league sports, even the NHL, but how is it that an MLS team isn't coming here?

There is talk about it happening now. I think the MLS is expanding and Atlanta are on a list of about potentials. Not sure where that leaves the Silverbacks though, they had a good season last year.

[BobKovacs]

MLS in the US is still attended largely by a hispanic crowd, hence the reasons you're seeing most of the teams setting up shop in areas with large hispanic populations- CA, TX, etc. I did some preconstruction work for the new RedBulls stadium in NJ, and even the food service heavily catered to that demographic. So, while, Atlanta definitely has a hispanic demographic, it's probably not seen as being large enough to sustain a team yet- if it was, the teams would be all over trying to get into town.

[atlantamoi]

I'd rather see MLS than a minor league baseball team. Not quite sure I get adding that baseball team with the Braves here.