Five fun facts about Atlanta United's 2018 schedule:
This is a compliment. The World Cup final will be played between, I'm guessing Iceland and Nigeria, on July 15. As the dessert, Fox will broadcast Atlanta United vs. Seattle at 2 p.m. This is a valuable platform for MLS to try to lure those fans who love soccer but don't appreciate the league. Atlanta United's style of play that led to 70 goals last year is a pretty exciting lure.
This will be easier. I think I wrote a few times last year that Atlanta United played eight games in 24 days. I won't have to write that this year. The toughest games-per-day stretch will be four games in 17 days this summer. It will start July 4 at Dallas, continues July 7 at Philadelphia, July 15 vs. Seattle and then July 21 vs. D.C. United.
The All-Star game. Atlanta United won't really get an All-Star break. It will play a night game at Montreal on July 28, begin All-Star week that will continue with a game against a to-be-determined opponent on Wednesday, Aug. 1. and the Five Stripes will host Toronto on Aug. 4. You may or may not remember that Greg Garza sustained an injury in the opening minutes of last year's All-Star game in Chicago. Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino found the whole All-Star concept kind of odd. I'm sure that won't change because he will have to spend a lot of time doing media and other superfluous things during All-Star week because he will manage the team.
Weekends rock. Of Atlanta United's 17 home games, just one will be played mid-week: Sporting KC on May 9. Weekend games equal a higher probability of higher attendance. As such, it seems likely that the team will break the average attendance mark of 48,200 that it set last year.
Long trips. Last season, Atlanta United traveled to Seattle, Vancouver and Portland. My Delta miles loved it. This season, the longest trips will be to L.A. on April 21 and San Jose on Sept. 19.
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