Peter Ueberroth, sports businessman extraordinaire and Time Magazine Person of the Year for 1984, says he would "give up everything" to make soccer the dominant US sport. Since he's a director of the Coca Cola Company, it seems he's in a position to wave a few magic wands if he wants to. http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/soccer/post/_/id/16908/ueberroth-thinks-soccer-is-no-1
Yeah, really. Since Coke is based in Atlanta, they should buy the Silverbacks and create the Southeast's first MLS team. They could afford it.
Maybe not a magic wand, but money + SSS + owner = professional soccer team. I think Coca Cola could swing that!
But that's not what he said. If his goal is to make soccer the #1 sport, there's no reason to think that an MLS team in Atlanta furthers that goal.
But an MLS team with an academy down to U10 with programs to get a city interested in the sport in a region soccer's popularity is falling behind in would. The southeast needs first division, MLS soccer. Atlanta and Orlando could eventually have a nice rivalry. If Ueborroth could involve the city, it would do a great deal towards increases nationwide soccer popularity. Regarding the academy idea, they could do something similar to what the Fire have done. The Fire recently increased the size of their academy from 400 to 10000 kids in 7 states. A southeastern MLS team could have this kind of reach.
Oh hell to the yes! Silverbacks in the MLS is a must and with Coca-Cola dollars behind them, they could actually compete and bring in big names instead of just making up the numbers.
all i got to say is put your money where your mouth is Uberroth. Bring soccer to the southeast, whether it be atlanta or the carolinas put your money where your mouth is and i will side with Coca Cola in the Coke/Pepsi war. and yes i know he probably doesnt care if i by coke or not, but still.
