Atlanta Confirmed as Major League Soccer’s Next Expansion Market
Monday, April 7th, 2014
Major League Soccer’s wave of expansion across the south is headed to the region’s biggest metropolis.
Multiple sources with knowledge of the situation have confirmed to me that Atlanta will be officially awarded MLS’ 22nd franchise later this month.
Although a spokesperson for the league said that a formal agreement has not yet been finalized, I’ve heard seprarately that a public announcement could come very soon. One source targeted April 16 as a date to watch for official confirmation.
The team will be run in association with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, whose owner, Arthur Blank, has been in negotiations with MLS for some time. Blank also founded the Home Depot chain, which is a major commercial sponsor of both MLS and the U.S. Soccer Federation.
