FIRST PERSON | DAN COURTEMANCHE
As told to Michelle Hiskey, for the AJC
Dan Courtemanche is the executive vice president of communications for Major League Soccer and its commercial arm, Soccer United Marketing. He attended Walton High School and graduated from the University of Georgia. He breaks down Atlanta’s pluses and challenges as a destination for pro soccer.
Major League Soccer has looked at Atlanta as a potential expansion market for a number of years. The growth of the Hispanic community, to more than 10 percent of the Atlanta population, is clearly an audience for pro soccer that is currently underserved. We brought the Mexican national team to the Georgia Dome on a midweek night in February, and more than 50,000 fans attended.
In Georgia, you have grass-roots support through fans, such as those on the website www.atlwantsmls.com. The Atlanta Silverbacks, a second-division team, are drawing about 5,000 fans per game, which is a strong statement. The state association, Georgia Soccer, is very engaged. All of this bodes well for a pro team.
We have good political support from the Atlanta mayor’s office and the state governor. The global corporations based in Atlanta, such as Coca-Cola, The Home Depot, Delta, UPS and AT&T, support soccer or sponsor sports properties. That’s extremely important. The Atlanta Sports Council is aggressive about attracting new events and teams.
The new Falcons stadium will incorporate requirements for FIFA and be one of the best soccer facilities in the world. Atlanta also is an excellent global transportation hub on the East Coast where international teams from Europe and South America can get in and out easily.
The fact that Atlanta has a lot of kids and adults playing soccer doesn’t necessarily mean that they will follow a pro team, but it certainly is a benefit. What translates into fan avidity is that Atlanta is a market with a lot of young adults, and the Generation Y audiences (born between 1980 and 2000, also known as Millennials) choose pro soccer as their entertainment, second only to the NFL.
Atlanta is a challenging sports market. It is still known for catering to a large population of imports. Fans’ loyalties are with many clubs, not just Atlanta teams. MLS is only 18 years old and will have to battle for the entertainment dollar. Our average ticket costs about $25, and for a group, each could be as low as $10. An affordable ticket is a competitive advantage compared to most other pro sports.
We know that people in Atlanta have a lot of choices. There are older pro teams and many other entertainment options. Soccer has to capture the minds of people in Atlanta.
