MLS Atlanta President Darren Eales’ "top priority" is finding a site for a training ground for the expansion team, according to Doug Roberson of the ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION. Eales "is spending a lot of time on the training ground, which he said needs to be constructed no later" than December '16. The team is slated to join MLS in time for the '17 season. Eales said that he "prefers a facility somewhere in or near metro Atlanta that can incorporate the first team, the youth academy and have enough fields for community use." He "hopes to have as many as 15 soccer fields so that the community can also play at the facility and those players, parents and others can develop a stronger tie with the team." Eales "estimates they would need at least 50 acres for the full complex." Meanwhile, the name for the MLS Atlanta team "will come from what Eales described as a 'very narrow' list." Roberson reports possible names from a recent survey "included Atlanta, Atlanta FC, Atlanta SC, Real Atlanta and Terminus as the official name, with Chiefs, United, Firebirds, Phoenix and Black Harts among possible nicknames" (
ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 3/31).
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS: In Atlanta, Randy Southerland reports "more than 19,000 fans have already reserved season tickets" for MLS Atlanta's inaugural season. Eales said that the Falcons' new stadium, which MLS Atlanta will share, has "mechanized curtains can reduce the capacity to about 30,000 and make the stadium feel more intimate." Team officials believe they "will be able to fill the new stadium and may even have to expand the seating capacity if interest continues to grow at the current pace." Southerland notes there is only a 1% "overlap in season ticket buyers between the Falcons and the soccer team" (ATLANTA BUSINESS CHRONICLE, 3/27 issue).
