Is Metro Atlanta set to land another pro men’s and women’s soccer team?
On Monday, the United Soccer League announced an agreement with the city of Roswell to study the potential development of a new entertainment district anchored by a purpose-built women’s soccer stadium, one that would host teams from the top-flight women’s USL Super League and the men’s 2nd-division USL Championship.
Per the Letter of Intent (LOI), Roswell and the USL can negotiate exclusively through December 31 but can extend the period if a deal to move forward is not reached.
The league and city’s negotiations will be to find a specific site for the planned soccer stadium and entertainment center similar to The Battery, among other specifics. The planned stadium will hold 10,000 fans at minimum and a maximum of 15,000, with the USL serving as the stadium’s primary tenant and possessing right of first refusal to operate and manage the venue as well.
The stadium’s capacity is meant to first and foremost suit the proposed team for the USL Super League, which just recently gained Division 1 sanctioning from the USSF, sharing the distinction with the NWSL. Eight teams will be part of the league’s inaugural season in August: Fort Lauderdale, Tampa Bay, Dallas/Fort Worth, Charlotte, Lexington, Brooklyn, Washington D.C., and Spokane.
If the project is greenlighted, it would mark the return of 1st-division women’s soccer to the area since the Atlanta Beat of Women’s Professional Soccer folded with the rest of the league after the 2011 season.
Meanwhile, the proposed USL Championship team would mark the return to the area for the league since ATL UTD 2 dropped to 3rd-division MLS Next Pro setup prior to the 2023 season. Questions may be asked about if a men’s team competing for fans with Atlanta United could consistently fill out a 10-15,000 seat stadium, but Roswell and north metro Atlanta have the population to support a team on paper. And, if games are scheduled correctly around Atlanta United match-days, there should be no problem developing a strong fanbase.
Atlanta would join fellow Southeastern sides Birmingham Legion, Charleston Battery, Tampa Bay Rowdies, and North Carolina FC in the current 24-team Championship that currently plans to expand to between 30 and 32 teams.
While the proposed launch dates, branding, and ownership setups of the two clubs are yet to be announced, “several potential owners have expressed interest,” USL deputy CEO Justin Papadakis told the AJC’s Doug Roberson. A site could be chosen by the end of the year, per Papadakis, with stadium construction set to last “18 to 24 months”.
With the plan laid out by the league and the city of Roswell in the early stages, there are still questions about where the stadium district would be located, or if it even gets the official green light. But we could be a step closer to metro Atlanta adding two more professional soccer teams to its ranks.
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What is this garbo?
I’d defn attend the games when possible. I’m
an Atl Utd fan no doubt but, while I’m prob in the minority, not a fan of Benz experience…something smaller and soccer specific would more enjoyable to me.
Really looking forward to a pro women’s team. But Roswell? Maybe it’ll depend on where in Roswell, but that’s probably a no-go on a weeknight for us on the east side of town.
Also not a fan of public money being used for a private business like a sports team, but it ain’t this DeKalb resident’s money.
Why/ how is the USL Super League also considered a division 1 league alongside the NWSL? And doesn’t that create unnecessary competition between the two 1st division women’s leagues? I mean, I’m all for more soccer, both men’s and women’s, but I also want it to be sustainable so that teams actually stick around… (RIP Atlanta Beat)
It does create competition, but that’s the USL’s goal. They got Division 1 sanctioning as their stadiums and infrastructure met the D1 standards. Both them and the NWSL should be able to coexist.
Ah ok, so it’s more about a meeting a minimum requirement than being “top dog.” Thanks.
USL’s “thing” for the past few years is that they don’t work with anybody else and they are the smartest guy in the room on everything. So somebody at the top decided “Let’s do women’s soccer” and the only possible solution was to form a competing league that somehow got D1 certification off the bat. The eventual end result of this will either be that the USL Super League will die, especially if wages trail NWSL by a lot, or the leagues will merge and NWSL will run the combined league.
I’m just stating the facts here and nothing more, but this is happening because it’s pretty clear that Arthur Blank has no real interest in women’s soccer beyond his standard “We’re looking into it” replay every time a reporter asks him about it. There would already be an Atlanta team in NWSL if Blank truly had any interest in it.
Roswell location is central enough for people in metro Atlanta who’d be interested in going that I agree that if the USL matches don’t conflict with Five Stripes matches that this could be successful.
I think there’s a non-zero chance that Blank buys the women’s team, should the project get the green light. Time will tell.
Why does Arthur Blank have to be the one to start a women’s soccer team? Is there some time that the local MLS team must also create a women’s team?
Arthur Blank has an MLS team because he wanted to fill dates in his new stadium. That’s now solved.
Would love to see a women’s team and I think we be a great market. There are others who can do it.
Eh, I’d say Blank’s commitment to AUFC and MLS is far beyond “fill seats”. I think he’s an interesting option for many people because he has the organizational infrastructure in place and money to spend. I don’t disagree there could be other good options, but it’s easy to see why Blank seems to be the clear option for a lot of fans.
Yes, that’s his commitment now. He’s a great owner. But I don’t think he was natural option if he didn’t have that stadium. Stadium for Falcons came first. If they were still in dome and team had to play at tech more or less permanently? There may well be a team here, but perhaps not his.
I’m any case, I hope we get a woman’s team. We used to go watch the Beat. If love to see it. But people maybe should think outside the Blank. The two don’t have to be a package.
Pretty exciting news. To address the last question, I would absolutely attend with the family, since it is local. Would not consider dropping Atlanta United season tickets either (the club is in my blood at this point). Would treat it more as a way to connect my daughters to the game in a more intimate manner and a more ad hoc occassion. Certainly a place for both.
Still surprised the Blank hasn’t invested in a women’s team or girls academy. Felt like there were substantial rumors and then they completely dissipated.
Yeah, it’s an opportunity to really bring a more intimate atmosphere, especially when you consider having a big entertainment district around it. I like the ideas, but yeah, I also wish there were an NWSL team more actively in the works