Atlanta United’s Martinez gets a statue ... sort of
The King has a statue.
It’s not big. It’s not outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
But hey, a statue is a statue.
Atlanta United surprised its season-ticket holders with a gift box that included a small statue of Josef Martinez.
The concept was borne of the team’s desire to see a statue of Martinez, MLS MVP in 2018 when it won the MLS Cup, outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The pose of the statue was inspired by Martinez taking a knee after he scores, which he’s done 82 times in regular season and playoff games for the club.
Martinez loved the idea of the gift.
“Atlanta has become my home, and I love playing for the city and our fans,” he said in a statement provided by the team. “I always thank them for their support because of the way they treat my family and me, and I want them to know the affection is mutual. The statue is really cool, and I hope we can celebrate more goals together soon.”
The statue was designed by employees of the club and made by Bensussen Deutsch & Associates. Approximately 15,000 of the statues were made. There won’t be any for sale at the team’s shops.
A team spokeswoman said the club has been looking for an opportunity to do something with a statue of Martinez. Featuring it as a gift to season-ticket buyers was the decision.
It took six months of work to execute the idea.
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