April 8 – With just over 100 hundred days until the start of the English Premier League’s (EPL) Summer Series in the United States, one of the four participating teams, West Ham United, are planning ahead to engage local fans on their arrival.
The Hammers are scheduled to face AFC Bournemouth at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on matchday three of the competition on Sunday, August 3, and are attempting to engage old and new fans with a series of on-the-ground events, media content, and strategic visibility across the city.
Announcing the initiative was club ambassador Carlton Cole, along with the club mascot, Hammerhead. The pair visited iconic Atlanta landmarks and challenged fans to score 120 goals across the city, turning public spaces into temporary mini fan zones.
Stops along Peachtree Street, Centennial Olympic Park, and the Fox Theatre created local buzz and excitement. The club also gave away scarves, hats, and flags, turning those parts of Atlanta claret and blue for the day.
Cole also visited the Atlanta United training base, teaming up with his old teammate Jonathan Spector, who is the Head of International Recruitment at the Major League Soccer (MLS) club, to bolster the relationship between the EPL, MLS and Atlanta United.
Atlanta is rapidly becoming a global hub for the ‘Beautiful Game.’ As well as hosting West Ham and Bournemouth, the city will welcome six matches in this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup, along with eight matches next summer during the international World Cup.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium will close the Summer Series by hosting a doubleheader on the afternoon of August 3 with Everton taking on Manchester United after the West Ham-Bournemouth tie. New York’s MetLife Stadium (July 26) and Chicago’s Soldier Field (July 30) will host the opening two rounds of the tournament.
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at moc.l1744766801labto1744766801ofdlr1744766801owedi1744766801sni@r1744766801etsbe1744766801w.kci1744766801n1744766801