http://mobile.philly.com/blogs/?wss=/phi...=254046321

The only surprise might be that the team will kick off before Miami.

MLS really needs to start a second tier once they get to 30 teams, and not as minor league squads but like European Leagues.

The team will probably be as welcomed as the Thrashers were.

(04-08-2014 07:14 AM)vandiver49 Wrote:  The team will probably be as welcomed as the Thrashers were.

As a more recent transplant to the Atlanta area I never got the deal with the Thrashers. I went a couple of times and always enjoyed myself. Nashville while smaller than Atlanta is still in the south and they have gotten tons of support for the Predators.

That being said I loathe soccer so I can't say I'm impressed by the addition of a MLS team.

(04-08-2014 07:14 AM)vandiver49 Wrote:  The team will probably be as welcomed as the Thrashers were.

Wasn't that more of a ownership vs fans issue though? And ownership finances rather than actual fan support?

(04-08-2014 02:55 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  

(04-08-2014 07:14 AM)vandiver49 Wrote:  The team will probably be as welcomed as the Thrashers were.

Wasn't that more of a ownership vs fans issue though? And ownership finances rather than actual fan support?

I dunno man, everytime I watched the Caps play in Atlanta there were always tons of empty seats, many of the ones taken were occupied by Caps fans too it seemed.

Braves aren't at the top of the league in attendance either. Atlanta's not an elite PRO city.

The issue is complex in that from a butts in the seat perspective Atlanta as a city provides middling to marginal support for their pro sports teams. That doesn't mean that residents aren't passionate about pro sports. If the team is winning and it looks as if there is a chance of a deep playoff run, then the fans will show up. The Braves for example, rank somewhere between 13-16 in attendance. Part of the reason why they are moving north to a smaller ballpark is that ownership believes that is where most of the daily Braves fans reside.

The Thrashers probably would have also benefited from a similar move to the Cobb Galleria area (or Gwinnett), but the lease agreement with Philips Arena prevented such a relocation within the metro area. Even the Hawks are a terrible draw, but their are plenty of Hawks fans. The only reason Falcons are successful downtown I believe has to do with the scarcity of the games and the fact that most of them are played on Sunday afternoons.

Based on the crowd that MLS typically draws, I'm dubious of the success of a franchise at the New Dome. Maybe if it were moving to Silverbacks Stadium or in KSU's 5/3rd Bank Stadium I'd be more enthusiastic about their chances of success. But ultimately, I think the location, more than anything is the real roadblock preventing a more passionate pro sports in Atlanta.

I don't think a soccer team will do well in Atlanta. I've said before that if the MLS wants to put a team in the south (the actual south, not Miami), they need to go with either Nashville or Charlotte.

(04-09-2014 09:22 AM)vandiver49 Wrote:  The issue is complex in that from a butts in the seat perspective Atlanta as a city provides middling to marginal support for their pro sports teams. That doesn't mean that residents aren't passionate about pro sports. If the team is winning and it looks as if there is a chance of a deep playoff run, then the fans will show up. The Braves for example, rank somewhere between 13-16 in attendance. Part of the reason why they are moving north to a smaller ballpark is that ownership believes that is where most of the daily Braves fans reside.

The Thrashers probably would have also benefited from a similar move to the Cobb Galleria area (or Gwinnett), but the lease agreement with Philips Arena prevented such a relocation within the metro area. Even the Hawks are a terrible draw, but their are plenty of Hawks fans. The only reason Falcons are successful downtown I believe has to do with the scarcity of the games and the fact that most of them are played on Sunday afternoons.

Based on the crowd that MLS typically draws, I'm dubious of the success of a franchise at the New Dome. Maybe if it were where moving to Silverbacks Stadium or in KSU's 5/3rd Bank Stadium I'd be more enthusiastic about their chances of success. But ultimately, I think the location, more than anything is the real roadblock preventing a more passionate pro sports in Atlanta.

Atlanta is also a transient city. A lot of people who live there aren't from there and bring their $hitty fandoms with them. I grew up in the DC area so I know what the experience is like first hand.

I refuse to go see the Caps play the Penguins or the Nats play the Phillies because I know how obnoxious their drunken fans are going to be.

(04-07-2014 10:33 PM)DexterDevil Wrote:  MLS really needs to start a second tier once they get to 30 teams, and not as minor league squads but like European Leagues.

there already is a second tier was well as a 3rd and 4th tier

(04-21-2014 06:09 AM)EPJr Wrote:  

(04-07-2014 10:33 PM)DexterDevil Wrote:  MLS really needs to start a second tier once they get to 30 teams, and not as minor league squads but like European Leagues.

there already is a second tier was well as a 3rd and 4th tier

I think he means that there needs to be relegation and all that jazz.

we relegate players; not teams

Why would an owner ever support a change to a relegation system?

It will never happen in the US.

(04-10-2014 01:22 AM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote:  I don't think a soccer team will do well in Atlanta. I've said before that if the MLS wants to put a team in the south (the actual south, not Miami), they need to go with either Nashville or Charlotte.

Or Raleigh. Or Richmond.

(04-28-2014 08:31 PM)chess Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 01:22 AM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote:  I don't think a soccer team will do well in Atlanta. I've said before that if the MLS wants to put a team in the south (the actual south, not Miami), they need to go with either Nashville or Charlotte.

Or Raleigh. Or Richmond.

Or maybe somewhere in the Hampton Roads area...Norfolk, Va Beach, etc....They could be called Chesepeake FC.

Richmond might be a little too close to DC. There are a lot (well a lot for MLS fans) of United supporters in VA already.

(04-21-2014 08:37 PM)RaiderATO Wrote:  Why would an owner ever support a change to a relegation system?

It will never happen in the US.

It also looks like a number of MLS teams will have direct ownership of USL Pro franchises, which will move soccer towards something more along the lines of Minor League Baseball.

The United States is also a much larger country than most of its counterparts in Europe. Spreading 20-30 teams across the United States is a little different than in Germany, which is roughly the combined size of Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina but has 4 times the population.

(04-28-2014 08:31 PM)chess Wrote:  

(04-10-2014 01:22 AM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote:  I don't think a soccer team will do well in Atlanta. I've said before that if the MLS wants to put a team in the south (the actual south, not Miami), they need to go with either Nashville or Charlotte.

Or Raleigh. Or Richmond.

Wonder whatever happened to St. Louis's bid... they've been pushing for a MLS team for ages.

(04-10-2014 01:22 AM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote:  I don't think a soccer team will do well in Atlanta.

I think it depends on what area the stadium is located, how much $$$ to go to a game, nationality of the players, and whether the team is any good.

Quote:I've said before that if the MLS wants to put a team in the south (the actual south, not Miami), they need to go with either Nashville or Charlotte.

Why those two?

I don't see why Norfolk isn't getting an MLS team at this point. The area is fairly well populated and they always come in at or near the top of local neilsen ratings for USMNT games as well as premier and other euro league games. Seems like it would be a home run to me.