Soccer is having a moment in Atlanta.
MLS team Atlanta United FC will debut at the new Mercedez-Benz Stadium in 2017, and this fall, Brookhaven will get its own soccer and international sports pub.
Hudson FC is set to open by mid-October at 4058 Peachtree Road in the former Pub 71 space. The bar and restaurant will show soccer and rugby matches as well as other popular international sporting events.
Hudson FC will offer a similar menu to its sister concept Hudson Grille sister concept (which has seven metro Atlanta locations), with a few differences. Offerings will include traditional pub food such as fish and chips, a pork and beef meatloaf big plate and a variety of flatbreads.
The pub is from restaurant group Metrotainment Cafes, which, in addition to the Hudson spots, also operates Einstein’s and Joe’s on Juniper in Midtown, Guaco Joe’s in Buckhead, Cowtippers in Ansley Park and Sugar Shack in Brookhaven, in the same shopping center where Hudson FC will be located.

1:59 PM

The Faction is a recently launched Atlanta United FC support group. Courtesy of Kevin Kinley
Atlanta’s major league soccer team won’t play its first game for another seven months but it already has at least four support groups.
One of those groups says their focus is less on chanting and face-painting and more about family fun and tailgating.
“What is important to us is the whole game day experience – tailgating, being with family and friends. It makes for a good family outing,” said Kevin Kinley.
Kinley, three friends and their families came up with the  group called The Faction while they were watching the Women’s World Cup. They already have more than 125 season ticket holders signed up to join. They have also met with Atlanta United FC officials and plan to hold a launch event soon.
Kinley, who played professional soccer and is now a soccer coach, said the families were just looking for a way to get involved with the MLS team coming to Atlanta. They looked at the support groups already active and decided none of them exactly fit what they wanted in a group.
“We just didn’t feel it was us,” he said. Their group will probably be a little more low-key, but just as passionate about the team and soccer, he said.
Three other groups already recognized on the MLS page, called Resurgence, Footie Mob and Terminus Legion.
The Faction group plans to do volunteer and outreach work with Fugees Family, a non-profit that was launched in 2004 to provide refugee children with free access to organized soccer. Kinley said it is important for The Faction to give back to their communities.
“We are super excited about next season and very proud of what the Atlanta United group has done so far,” he said.
Last week, United FC made headlines when they announced they had sold more than 22,000 season tickets for the 2017 season. Atlanta United president Darren Eales told MLSsoccer.com the total tickets were the second-most season tickets sold in the MLS this year and a record for an MLS expansion team.
The team will begin playing at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium next year. Kinley noted the season will begin in March, but the stadium is not slated to be finished until June or July so it will be a while before the team plays an at-home game.
For more information or to join The Faction, visit their website http://www.thefactionatl.com
3:08 PM

Georgia State

It took almost an hour for things to get started due to some weather moving through the area on Friday evening, but the Panther women opened up their season against Alabama State with a 3-0 rout. GSU had a 13-0 shot advantage in the first half, but didn’t find the net until Alexis Thomas’ 80th minute strike. The floodgates opened from there - Callie O’Connor found the net two minutes later and Brooke Shank added the game’s third goal nearly six minutes after that.
Up at Kennesaw last night, there were no goals to speak of as KSU and GSU played to a scoreless draw. The Owls led the way in shots 14-11 (6-5 in shots on goal) as Brie Haynes and Catherine McDuff stood strong in goal all evening for their respective teams.
The Panther men topped Oglethorpe in an exhibition on Saturday and open with a trip down I-85 to Mercer on Friday.

Kennesaw State

The Owls started their 2016 campaign on a high note as they topped Chattanooga 1-0 on Friday. Shannon Driscoll’s 14th minute marker stood up as the Owls held the Mocs to just four shots (all on goal) during a relatively straight forward night for McDuff. KSU would make it an unbeaten start to the year in their 0-0 match against Georgia State last night.

Georgia

The Bulldogs started their season with a draw as they finished 2-2 with Oklahoma State in Athens on Friday. After the area storms held this one up for twenty minutes, Mariel Gutierrez opened the scoring in the 10th minute. After the Cowgirls raced back with a pair of tallies in the 31st and 62nd minutes, it was Katie MacGinntie tying things up in the 81st for the match’s final goal.
Things weren’t as fortunate in Clemson as the #14 Tigers dropped the Bulldogs 3-1. Marion Crowder found the net in the 49th minute to cut Clemson’s margin to 2-1, but Paige Reckert iced the match away in the 64th minute. Louise Hogrell had a strong showing in net with eight saves to keep the margin relatively close for the Dawgs.

Mercer

Mercer’s men dropped an exhibition to North Florida in Jacksonville on Saturday. As mentioned, they’ll open their 2016 slate at home against Georgia State on Friday evening.
The women split the first two matches of their regular season. Friday evening’s contest against Alabama State in Huntsville ended up not really being much of a match as the Bears stormed to a 6-0 laugher over the overmatched Lady Hornets. Abbey Reddig notched two goals while Maddie Clark scored one and assisted on another in a game in which the Bears outshot the Lady Hornets 27-8.
Mercer found themselves on the other end of a shutout as they fell to Oklahoma State 3-0. The Cowgirls wrapped up their trip through Georgia with a perfect slate as they opened the scoring in the 2nd minute and never looked back. The Bears allowed a whopping 22 shots (10 on goal) while mustering three of their own (with just one on frame).

Georgia Southern

The Eagle men split a pair of exhibition matches against SCAD (3-1 win) and UNC Asheville (2-1 loss). They travel to Houston on Friday to open up a weekend tournament against Houston Baptist to start their 2016 slate.
The women started off their campaign 0-2 as they launched their season against UNC Wilmington at home and on the road versus Jacksonville State. In a 3-0 loss on Friday to the Seahawks, the Eagles conceded goals in the 26th, 40th, and 72nd minutes as they were badly outshot 29-6 (13-3 on net) and trailed 10-1 on corners. Emily Flinn and Lauren Karinshak combined for 10 saves despite being beaten three times.
Sunday’s match at Jacksonville State was a little more competitive, but the Eagles dropped this one by a count of 3-1. GSU spotted the Gamecocks the game’s first two goals before Alana McShane put the Eagles on the board in the 53rd minutes, but a Kayla Thompson goal less than two minutes later extended the lead to two to put it out of reach.

Coming Up This Week

Georgia State
MSoc - 8/26 at Mercer; 8/28 vs. Memphis
WSoc - 8/26 vs. Charlotte
Kennesaw State
8/26 vs. Mercer; 8/28 vs. Alabama A&M
Georgia
8/26 vs. Samford; 8/28 vs. Cal State Fullerton
Mercer
MSoc- 8/26 vs. Georgia State
WSoc - 8/26 at Kennesaw State; 8/28 at Tennessee Tech
Georgia Southern
MSoc - 8/26 vs. Houston Baptist; 8/28 vs. UTRGV (in Houston)
WSoc - 8/26 vs. North Florida; 8/28 vs. Charlotte
9:53 AM
An ordinance amendment granting a special-use permit for a soccer field in Castleberry Hill is to be considered Wednesday by the Zoning Committee of the Atlanta City Council.
The Castleberry Hill Neighborhood Association seeks the permit for an approximately 1-acre site at 310 Trenholm St. SW, according to a Zoning Committee agenda item.
A flier posted online by the Castleberry Hill Athletic Club proposes turning a vacant lot at 310 Trenholm into a multi-use athletic field. H.J. Russell & Co. has given the club usage rights of the lot for six years, the club says.
Working with the Neighborhood Association, “our goal is to raise funds, enabling us to complete objectives such as establishing an artificial turf field, installing lights, and fencing to ensure safety and security,” the flier says. Plans call for a 176-by-110-foot athletic field, lawn area with deck, and a gravel parking lot.
2:21 PM

The 2016 Torneo Naciones de Mexico kicks off for the U.S. U17 national team on Thursday against Portugal and four Atlanta United academy players will be part of the squad. Charlie Asensio, Andrew Carleton, Chris Goslin, and Zyen Jones were selected to represent U.S. Soccer in the tournament.
Atlanta United academy manager Tony Annan said:
“The boys have worked incredibly hard this summer, and it was clear that they left for Utah last week with a lot of confidence heading into training camp.”
All four players spent time with the U.S. Soccer Residency Program from January through July of this year and are well known the youth national team program.
Carleton and Jones are wide attacking players, Goslin is a central midfielder who can contribute creatively and physically, and Asensio is an attacking left back that creates scoring opportunities.
U17 head coach John Hackworth is taking twenty players to Mexico for the tournament, with Atlanta United having the largest contingent from any single club.
The U.S. plays Portugal on Thursday, followed by Qatar on Friday and Mexico on Sunday.
1:09 PM



With the college soccer season upon us, it’s time to take a look at what to expect on the pitch from the local programs. If you’re new to the game, the area has four Division 1 soccer programs: Georgia, Kennesaw State, Mercer, and Georgia State. Two of those - Georgia and Kennesaw State only field women’s teams. We’ll keep an eye on these programs and also keep you up to date on what’s happening with the lower division programs throughout the course of the season. But for now, we zero in on the D1 schools and let you know what to expect.

Georgia

Last year: 5-12-1 (4-7-1 SEC)
Who’s gone: Leading scorer Bella Hartley; forwards Cara Smith and Andie Fontanetta, defender and captain Emma Sonnett, and reserve forward Mackin D’Amico.
Who’s back: Everyone else, including leading scorer Marion Crowder (four goals, eight points), Mariel Guttierez (two goals, seven points), Sydney Shultis (two goals, five points), and a corps of defenders including Summer Burnett, Maya Cherry, Caroline Waters, Bria Washington, along with keeper Louise Hogrell.
The Georgia defense did a solid job keeping the ball out of the net (1.72 goals allowed per game), but it was scoring - or lack of it - that did the Dawgs in. Georgia scored only 16 goals in 18 games all season, which works out to a microscopic .088 goals per game. Needless to say, they’ll need to lean on Crowder, Guttierez and Shultis for offense.

Kennesaw State

Last year: 6-10-3 (3-3-1 Atlantic Sun)
Who’s gone: Midfielders Hannah Churchill (started 18 games in 2015) and Khatra Mahdi (appeared in all 19 games, starting 11); defenders Jackie Gray (16 games, 10 starts) and Megan Tymchuk (18 games, 11 starts). Also gone is coach Rob King, the only coach in program history. He resigned after 14 years at Kennesaw State and leading the Owls to a Division II National Championship and three conference titles.
Who’s back: Brittney Reed, lost to a knee injury three games in last year, returns along with forwards Cassidy Kemp, Kim Fincher and Maggie Gaughan; and key defenders Abby Roth and Ida Hepsoe. In all, eight players who appeared in at least 16 games - and six players who started all 19 games - return.
The Owls took a big loss when Reed went down, but still managed a .500 record in A-Sun play and were second in the league in goals scored (37). They did give up 37, but it’s a little deceiving since eleven of those were allowed to Samford and Top 20 team South Carolina - they went on to concede just eleven times in their final nine games. A strong core of veteran defenders, led by Roth, Hepsoe and goalkeeper Ashley Zambetti, along with a healthy Reed leading the offense and some age at midfield, could help the Owls challenge for the top of the A-Sun table. New coach Benji Watson gets started Friday night on the road at Chattanooga.

Georgia State (men)

Last year: 9-8-1 (4-1-0 Sun Belt)
Who’s gone: Leading scorer Eddie Wilding; starters Conor Acheson, Cory Plasker, Greyson Waldorff, and Nomis Cisic; substitute Andy Anglade
Who’s back: Eight of their top nine scorers, including junior Lebanese forward Jad Elkhalil and senior midfielder Casey Shultis. Rashid Alarape trained with the Nigerian Olympic team this summer while they were in Atlanta.
The Panthers advanced to the Sun Belt championship game last year, where they lost to Hartwick 3-0. Can they make it back? They’ll have to do so without Wilding and a core of starters (including goalkeeper Waldorff) that helped them go 4-1 in league play. But, with basically everyone else returning, along with players like Elkhalil, Shultis and Burmeister to anchor the offense, and a good group of freshmen being added to the mix, they should hold their own.

Georgia State (women)

Last year: 11-6-4 (4-4-1 Sun Belt)
Who’s gone: Head coach Derek Leader left in February to become the head coach at Grand Canyon University. Personnel wise, Ashley Nagy (seven goals, 16 points); midfielder Lauren Harriman; defenders Jenna Moore and Anna Hilpertshauer; goalkeeper Christa Fox
Who’s back: Goalkeeper Brie Haynes returns from injury, defensive starters and leaders Amanda Bruemmer and Kenzie Winters. Also, leading scorer Suzanne Arafa (nine goals, 23 points); rising sophomore Caitlin Ray (seven goals, 16 points); midfielders Monique Hundley; forward Taina Anglade
New head coach Ed Joyce takes the reins at Panthersville for the Georgia State women. He was previously an assistant for the Georgia State men and at Campbell for the last two seasons. He’ll have nine newcomers to count on this season.
The Panthers tied their last preseason game with freshman Erin Rhodes scoring the Panthers’ goal in a 1-1 draw with Austin Peay. Junior Skylar Olson scored the winning goal in their first preseason game, a 1-0 win over Lipscomb in Nashville.
The Panthers will have to navigate 2016 without the stalwarts of their defense (Fox, Hilpertshauer and Moore) and second leading scorer Ashley Nagy. However, the duo of Arafa and Ray, along with Haynes, Bruemmer and Winters, hope to make another run to the Sun Belt championship game (where they lost to South Alabama 4-0 last year).

Mercer (men)

Last year: 11-6-3 (5-3-2 SoCon)
Who’s gone: Midfielders Drew Schall, Alexander Andersson and Jourdan Gooden, defenders Mark Riggins and Carson Brooks
Who’s back: Leading scorer Jordan Duru (seven goals and 21 points); Will Bagrou (14 points); Kobe Perez (nine points); durable defender Airrion Blackstock (played every minute last season); backfield mates Ian Antley and Trenton Whitely; keeper Jeremy Booth (also played every minute last season); midfielder Nickolas Tripodi
Mercer will feature nine freshmen this season. Despite a large incoming class, the Bears have some strong experience in some key spots. Duru, Bagrou and Perez should lead the offense once more, while Antley, Booth, Blackstock, and Whitely lead a defense that allowed just 21 goals all season in 2015. Mercer’s three conference losses came either in overtime (twice) or via a late goal (not counting a loss in penalties in the SoCon semis), but with the calendar having turned, this is a team that could legitimately challenge for the top of the league table.

Mercer (women)

Last year: 9-8-4 (5-3-1 SoCon)
Who’s gone: Midfielder Sarah Daane, forward Sydney Brogden, goalkeeper Maddie Kropp
Who’s back: Basically everyone else: leading scorer Katelyn Dimopoulos (seven goals), Maddie Clark (four goals) and five of last year’s six top scorers; much of last year’s defense and midfield.
The Bears are blessed in the fact that they didn’t lose too many key contributors from last year’s squad that was tied for second in the SoCon for goals allowed. However, they lagged offensively at times (scoring a goal or less in fourteen matches and getting shut out in seven games). Even with Cristina Mursuli taking the reins from the graduated Kropp, another year to grow for Dimopoulos, Clark and the rest of the go-to players in offense has hopefully done Mercer good - and with something to prove after being picked to finish fourth in conference play, they’ll be aiming for their second NCAA appearance in three years.

3:13 PM


The women’s soccer team at Kennesaw State University pulled out a 3-2 victory against Middle Tennessee State University in a scrimmage game Thursday, Aug. 11.
Even though it wasn’t a regular season game, it was the first game — and the first victory — for Benji Walton, the new head coach of soccer at KSU.
The Brookwood High School alum enters his 14th season as a coach in collegiate women’s soccer, after serving three years as an assistant at Indiana University, which followed six years as the head coach at Birmingham-Southern College, and four years at Limestone College in Gaffney, South Carolina.
“I’ve always been an admirer of this institution, and when I saw it open – being from Atlanta and growing up in this area – when Kennesaw State was available, I said ‘I got to go for it,'” Walton said.
After graduating from BHS in Snellville, Georgia, Walton went onto play locally at Reinhardt College. As senior member of the Eagles, he helped lead his team to an overall record of 21-1-1, for which Walton will be inducted into the Reinhardt Athletics’ Hall of Fame on Sept. 30.
“Very rarely are you a part of something where everyone is on the same page and truly puts the greater good of the team ahead of themselves and that is exactly what this team was about,” Walton said. “It was 21 guys who were more than teammates… We were like brothers and to this day, some 18 years later I am still extremely close to these guys.”
Now as the head coach of KSU, Walton leads a squad which features A-SUN all-conference midfielder Brittney Reed, who began in 2015 scoring six goals in the season opener against Alabama A&M. Reed would suffer a season-ending knee injury against University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, just three games into the season, yet she still finished second on the team with 15 points on seven goals and one assist.
Joining Reed leading the team is junior defender Ida Hepsoe who was named to the A-SUN all-conference 2nd team in 2015, and senior forward Maggie Gaughan who was named to the all-conference team preseason team the same year.
After the scrimmage game against MTSU, coach Walton expressed that, although the win doesn’t count in the standings, it does count toward building confidence.
“Kennesaw State women’s soccer has a tremendous tradition of success,” Walton said. “I look forward to leading this team into the next chapter of women’s soccer at KSU and continuing to build on that tradition.”
KSU will host its opener on Monday, Aug. 22 against Georgia State University at 7 p.m.

1:19 PM


Kenwyne Jones won’t play his first MLS match until expansion side Atlanta United join the league in 2017, but he’s about to get his first look at MLS opposition.
The Trinidadian striker, signed by Atlanta United during the summer window and then loaned to Central FC in his home country through the end of the year, has been cleared to play for the TT Pro League champs as they host Sporting Kansas City on Tuesday in Sporting’s CONCACAF Champions League opener (8 pm ET; live on SportingKC.com, delayed on UDN).
Central announced late last week that Jones, who was held out of Central’s Group C-opening 1-0 loss to Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Aug. 2 because his transfer paperwork had not cleared, is now eligible and expected to play on Tuesday.
In a story reported Friday by SocaWarriors.net, the Trinidad & Tobago national team captain said he was looking forward to the loan spell after a long career in England.
“I had received interest from various clubs around the world, including England,” Jones said. “But there were several factors that, combined, made Central the right choice for me. First, I wanted to be closer to the national team with the World Cup qualifiers approaching.
“Being based in T&T will give me a lot more access to [T&T coach] Stephen Hart without the pressure from foreign clubs not wanting to allow you to leave too early. Also, the journey does affect your performance.”
The chance to play in CCL was also attractive, the 31-year-old striker said.
“While we all know that UEFA Champions League is the premier club tournament, the SCCL is growing year by year,” he said. “Having never played MLS football, this gives me the chance to play a few games against MLS opponents to prepare myself for the upcoming season. Its a great opportunity for me to introduce myself to the MLS public and hopefully increase the interest in Atlanta United.”
Speaking of one of those teams — Tuesday’s opponent — Jones said Sporting impresses him as the stronger of the two MLS sides that Central must face in group play.
“After training with the lads, I could see that lack of match fitness was an issue against Whitecaps,” he said. They were totally beatable and had they played Central last May, Central would have won that game. … I believe we can get a result against Kansas and get some points on the road.

“I expect Kansas to take four points from Whitecaps, so we need to win two games out of the three remaining games. Once we get some decent practice games under our belts, I’m confident we can turn in a top performance.”

9:20 AM

European Championship soccer drew an impressive television audience in Atlanta on Sunday afternoon – more than twice as large as that afternoon’s Braves game.
ESPN’s telecast of Portugal’s 1-0 victory over France in the final of the Euro 2016 tournament delivered a 4.5 Nielsen rating in the Atlanta TV market, the sixth highest rating among U.S. cities.
By comparison, Sunday afternoon’s Braves-White Sox game on Fox Sports South drew a 1.7 rating in the Atlanta TV market.
The rating is the percentage of the market’s TV households that watched each telecast on average.
The U.S. markets with the 10 highest ratings for the Portugal-France match on ESPN were: New York (5.9), Providence, R.I. (5.8), Miami-Ft. Lauderdale (4.8), San Diego (4.6), San Francisco (4.6), Atlanta (4.5), Raleigh-Durham (4.4), Washington (4.3), Hartford-New Haven, Conn. (4.3) and Boston (3.8).
8:19 AM

Extras Casting Atlanta

Looking for soccer playing kids – 7-11 years old — available this Thursday 8-18 in Atlanta – email a recent photo and all clothing sizes and parents contact info to: ECAextras@gmail.com – SOCCER KIDS in Subject

2:00 PM

The more than $20 million factory will be located at Cherokee 75 Corporate Park, a 135-acre industrial site. The park is in an Opportunity Zone, qualifying companies that locate there for a $3,500 tax credit per job created.
Georgia competed with at least five states for the project, including some in the Southeast, a source said.
The Speedfactory model, which relies on automation and production robots, challenges the idea of centralized production and makes the product closer to where the consumers are. That allows the manufacturer to be more flexible to changing consumer tastes and refresh product styles faster.
"This allows us to make product for the consumer, with the consumer, where the consumer lives in real time, (creating) opportunities for customization in America,” Herzogenaurach, Germany-based Adidas noted in a statement.
Adidas will produce 50,000 pairs of shoes in 2017 at the metro Atlanta plans, with plans to grow that volume to 500,000 pairs annually over time.
Using advanced manufacturing technologies and industrial robots, the factory allows Adidas to mass produce shoes in a variety of color, materials and sizes.
"With the first U.S.-based Speedfactory, we’re combining some of the world’s best technology and manufacturing processes to give our consumers access to constant newness," Adidas Group Executive Board Member Glenn Bennett noted.
U.S. production allows Adidas to serve the massive U.S. market more efficiently — sourcing raw materials locally and reducing shipping costs.
Atlanta's reputation as a "key transportation hub for the U.S." and its deep sports history, made the region an attractive site to locate the plant, an Adidas spokeswoman said.
"Sports are core to who we are, and Atlanta is a hub for some of the best teams and events," she said, noting the state has hosted "iconic sporting events," including the SEC Championship Game, The Masters and the 1996 Olympics.
A globally accessible airport, low labor costs and a favorable tax climate make Georgia attractive to foreign manufacturers.
Chinese tire manufacturer Sentury Tire is eyeing Georgia for its first U.S. manufacturing plant. The first phase would involve a more than $500 million investment and the creation of more than 600 jobs. When fully built-out, the investment could rise to $1 billion and the workforce would swell to "several thousand.”

Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2016/08/10/adidas-to-open-first-u-s-plant-in-atlanta.html?ana=fbk
8:03 AM

You are invited to play in this years league.

·         Here the deal: You pick the scores of each EPL game for each week. You pick the top 5 scorers for that week. You earn points.
All it takes is takes 5 minutes a week.
·         Extras: We will have weekly playing/drinking/discussion  events at fields and strategically located pubs. Mostly in Cobb/Fulton County. Weekly winners will be honored and will earn a beer.
·       Cost: FREE
·         All you need to do to join your league is:
1. Register at http://predictthescore.net
2. Log in
3. Select 'Mini Leagues' from the 'My Account' menu
4. Enter the code below

Mini League Name: Atlanta Soccer News
Join

Access Code: 110954220

Winner will be honored at an all-expenses paid  party dedicated to his triumph…a trophy and a cool shirt. Best of all you will be recognized as the supreme soccer sage in Atlanta for that year.
If you know of someone else who may want to join, please forward this letter.
Last years winner and this summer's winner was Mark Stevens aka Markaroni....take the challenge to know him down.
We had over 50 players last year consisting of many local personalities. 
9:30 AM

 this date in 1966, the Atlanta Braves received ownership rights to a franchise in the newly announced National Professional Soccer League. Professional soccer in Atlanta was officially born fifty years ago today.
Pro soccer in Atlanta has had a bumpy ride in the fifty years since it was born, but it was not exactly easy to even get to this day fifty years ago. College soccer was reborn in the state with Emory University launching a varsity program in 1958. High school soccer was recognized as an official sport in 1965, with Westminster winning the first official state championship in the spring of 1966 over nineteen other schools who participated. Organized youth soccer was non-existent during the summer of 1966.
After their first year in Atlanta in 1966, the Braves announced a $900K profit. Coming off the heels of a $1.5M loss in 1965 in Milwaukee, the club was in a position to invest in pro soccer.
Bill Bartholomay was the chairman of the Braves and the driving force behind their move to Atlanta. Upon the announcement of the soccer team, he told WSB-TV:
“We’re very excited about it. The Braves have decided to go into soccer with eight other cities. We’re going in a major way because Atlanta is a major league city.
In my opinion, it’s just a question of time until soccer has attained the popularity in this country as it has in virtually every other place in the world. If we can reach that goal, of course we want Atlanta to be part of it.
Bill Cox and Robert Hermann held a press conference in New York on May 10 to discuss their plans to launch the first nationwide professional soccer league in the U.S. Atlanta was included as a prospective location for a franchise. The American Soccer League was still operating at this point, but was at best semi-professional and limited to ten Northeastern clubs in 1966.
Things became complicated as two other groups went on to launch bids to operate professional soccer leagues in the U.S. The U.S. Soccer Football Association, the sport’s governing body in the United States with a two person staff, tried to get the groups to merge their plans together unsuccessfully. Both the USSFA and FIFA saw that more than one league would kill any momentum soccer was having at the moment.
However, this was also a time in professional sports in the U.S. that saw Major League Baseball begin to expand to head off the launch of a new league. Both the National Football League and National Basketball Association were also expanding, but both were dealing with competing leagues at the time as well. The American Football League would eventually merge with the NFL and a few American Basketball Association teams joined the NBA in the 1970’s. Professional sports was booming and everyone wanted their piece of the pie. Businessmen saw soccer as an opportunity and were not interested in merging for the betterment of the sport.
Cox had operated the International Soccer League in the summers of 1960-1965. The model was somewhat like today’s International Champions Cup that has found great success. Hostility with the USSFA over licensing fees led to the competition folding after the 1965 edition. Cox was undeterred and made plans to launch a true American league called the North American Professional Soccer League.
Richard Millen, a lawyer from Los Angeles, was also interested in the business of professional soccer. His plans to launch a league called the National Soccer League were presented to the USSFA, but little is known about them.
Jack Kent Cooke, owner of the Washington Redskins, formed a group of other owners from the NFL and MLB and called it the North American Soccer League. It was later changed to the United Soccer Association to avoid confusion with the National Professional Soccer League.
The USSFA formed a committee to study the presentations and to recommend which league should receive sanctioning by the national governing body.
Cox, who had been banned for life from baseball in 1943 when he owned the Philadelphia Phillies and bet on his own team, did not want to wait and drew the ire of the USSFA when he continued to make announcements about his NAPSL. His long term feud with the USSFA over his International Soccer League did not help his cause either.
On July 30, NBC television broadcast the World Cup final from London that saw England defeat West Germany 4-2 in extra time. Ratings and interest surprised everyone, and only accelerated the race to launch professional soccer in the United States. Some have said that this broadcast started the whole soccer boom, but that is not true. Plans were already in motion for the three leagues, the broadcast only gave the businessmen chasing professional soccer bigger dreams.
This was the landscape of the American soccer world that Atlanta was joining. It was chaotic and filled with in-fighting between the federation, prospective owners, and the prospective leagues. Everyone wanted their piece of what they thought would be big business. On this date fifty years ago, Atlanta became part of that landscape.

8:00 AM
Copyright © 2016 Atlanta Soccer News: Art, Music and Culture | By Designscrazed