The Atlanta sports marketplace will be interesting in the first few months of 2017.
The Braves will presumably open their new stadium in Cobb County in the spring.
The Hawks will be wrapping up their season at Philips Arena. Spring practices for college football will soon be underway. The Masters will be just around the corner. Mock NFL Drafts will be coming at you at a rapid pace.
Atlanta’s MLS team will be added into this crowded mix, likely opening owner Arthur Blank’s new stadium downtown.
The key to carving out a place in that market, according to team president Darren Eales, will be to create value through a unique experience for the fans.
Eales discussed this scenario in a recent interview.
Q: How will the MLS Atlanta team compete against the Braves, the Falcons, Georgia, Georgia Tech and other sports in Atlanta?
A: “There are good examples with the Sounders and the Seahawks, who are both successful (in Seattle). The crossover there in season tickets is about 3 percent. The reality is it’s a different demographic, it’s a different profile of fan.
“I know it’s a big college football area here in Atlanta and the South, but it’s not necessarily the same fan. Likewise, I think you can enjoy both.
“We will try to create a different experience with the singing, atmosphere of the game. Hopefully those fans that haven’t thought about soccer will come out because they are curious. It will be a different experience and hopefully they become soccer fans.
“Then we have those dormant soccer fans that have been watching EPL and played it growing up, who want to go watch soccer because it’s a sport they enjoy.”
Silverbacks: The Silverbacks last week hired Gary Smith as their new manager. Smith led Colorado to an MLS title in 2010.
Smith and the Rapids parted ways following the 2011 season. He returned to coach in England and was recently a scout for the Republic of Ireland’s national team.
Smith, a native of England, will take over a Silverbacks squad that has mostly struggled since joining the NASL in 2011.
January transfer window: The January transfer window will open soon and several Americans are expected to move.
Jozy Altidore is being linked with several European-based clubs as his disappointing stint at Sunderland figures to be coming to a close. Altidore was the victim of a club that had no game plan on offense and whose coaches consistently used formations that didn’t lead to a lot of scoring. Of course, he also didn’t take advantage of most of the few opportunities he got.
Anderlecht officials have said that midfielder Sacha Kljestan can be bought for the right price. He has been with the Belgian-based club since 2010 and helped them reach the Champions League several times.
Mix Diskerud has been linked with a move to Mexico, which is odd because not a lot of non-Mexican players leave Europe for the league. A midfielder, Diskerud has been with Rosenborg in Norway. He has also been linked with MLS and a few clubs in the Middle East.
A couple of moves have already been completed: Brek Shea signed with Orlando, ending his disastrous move to Stoke City. DeAndre Yedlin will join Tottenham in January, a few months earlier than first discussed when Spurs bought him from Seattle.
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