April 17 – The MLS has added a 22nd franchise in Atlanta. The team will play its first season in 2017 in a 29,000 capacity stadium it will share with NFL team the Atlanta Falcons, Both franchises are owned by Arthur Blank.
The Atlanta decision is the third expansion announcement for the MLS in the past year. New York City FC and Orlando City SC will join the league in 2015, while David Beckham’s Miami franchise is expected to make its debut in 2017 debut. The Chivas franchise in LA is currently under new league ownership with the view of bringing in new stakeholders to the club.
The MLS has said it plans to add a 24th team by 2020.
The discussion with Atlanta have been on-going for six years. MLS commission Don Garber said: “Atlanta is one of the largest and most diverse markets in North America and has a rich tradition in sports and culture.
“And with Arthur Blank joining our ownership group, we are adding one of the most respected owners in professional sports. Arthur is deeply passionate about soccer and our quest to become one of the top professional soccer leagues in the world. We look forward to working with him and the entire Falcons organization on achieving this important goal.”
The Atlanta team’s name and logo, coaching and administrative staff have not been announced. Fans will be asked to provide their suggestions for the team name.
Blank said: “We are very excited to bring a Major League Soccer team to Atlanta,” Blank said in a statement. “We are going to build a first-class organization on and off the field that will be a source of pride for the entire community, and we believe our downtown stadium will become a destination for soccer fans throughout the Southeast for many years to come.”
Greater Atlanta has a metro population of 5.5 million residents, the ninth-biggest metropolitan area in the United States. Currently MLS franchises are valued at about $70 million.
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