Support our Atlanta Silverbacks

[BigKahuna]

I think this year promises to be a big year for professional soccer in Atlanta and I think that one of the best things we can do to show MLS that Atlanta deserves a team is to get out and support the Silverbacks at their new stadium. Obviously, MLS is watching very closely and we have to show them that this new found interest can be carried over to a MLS team.

Also, I have recently been hearing that the Silverbacks, contrary to rumor, may infact be interested in going MLS. I think they may just need the reassurance that the fans will support that. I've actually sent a letter to Silverbacks President, Stephen Pratten, about this subject and hopefully I'll receive an encouraging response. Bottom line is that the Backs will have a stadium and an ownership group...something that other options for MLS in Atlanta lack. So we may be looking at our MLS team right there.

Lets get out and show or support for the Backs. Lets write letters and emails to the Backs office telling them that we want to see them play in MLS!

www.atlantasilverbacks.com

[Eleven Bravo]

damn, tickets are expensive... i guess they're forgetting they're still USL. no wonder why Atlanta Silverbacks game average only about a thousand a game. no matter, i will try to at least go to the June 30th game against the Battery. Unfortunately, i can't go the home opener.

[eric515]

Also, I have recently been hearing that the Silverbacks, contrary to rumor, may infact be interested in going MLS. I think they may just need the reassurance that the fans will support that. I've actually sent a letter to Silverbacks President, Stephen Pratten, about this subject and hopefully I'll receive an encouraging response. Bottom line is that the Backs will have a stadium and an ownership group...something that other options for MLS in Atlanta lack. So we may be looking at our MLS team right there.
www.atlantasilverbacks.com

I hope you're right...I think with fan support, a good stadium, and direction in the ownership, MLS will have no choice to look at Atlanta.

It's kind of funny, with all the Atlanta bashers out there, that you hear little being said about the viability of markets like Houston, Cleveland, and St. Louis, 3 cities that don't even have owners willing to front the money for a USL team...

Of course, it's gotta be driving Rochester absolutely insane!

[Michael CM1]

I think this year promises to be a big year for professional soccer in Atlanta and I think that one of the best things we can do to show MLS that Atlanta deserves a team is to get out and support the Silverbacks at their new stadium. Obviously, MLS is watching very closely and we have to show them that this new found interest can be carried over to a MLS team.

Also, I have recently been hearing that the Silverbacks, contrary to rumor, may infact be interested in going MLS. I think they may just need the reassurance that the fans will support that. I've actually sent a letter to Silverbacks President, Stephen Pratten, about this subject and hopefully I'll receive an encouraging response. Bottom line is that the Backs will have a stadium and an ownership group...something that other options for MLS in Atlanta lack. So we may be looking at our MLS team right there.

Lets get out and show or support for the Backs. Lets write letters and emails to the Backs office telling them that we want to see them play in MLS!

www.atlantasilverbacks.com

Whenever I get around to putting up a web site, I plan on making it clear that our preference is for the Silverbacks to have enough success to make a semi-promotion into MLS. The team has been here for over a decade so it would be nice to not have a completely expansion franchise.

Definitely go buy tickets! If the place sells out every night it would start making it harder for local media to ignore. Somehow the Gwinnett Gladiators, the equivalent of a USL-2 team, have their own section on the AJC Web Site. Does someone really want to tell me there are more hockey than soccer fans in Atlanta? :)

[Eleven Bravo]

ticket prices are outrageous though. come on people! i mean i want to go to as many games as i can, but 20 dollars(or 25!!!) a ticket plus tax, plus parking, plus gas, plus.... and i'm a hardcore soccer fan. it's bad marketing if you ask me. they should start selling tickets from 5-15 dollars and then worked their way up to $20 once they've got the demand for the tickets.

[El Guero Naco]

I'm telling you guys, you need to join us in 109. They've made the tickets the cheapest for us, a season ticket averages out to $10 a game, a single game ticket costs $12.50.

Last year ALL regular tickets were $17.

And whoever mentioned parking, parking is free.

We always looked at it this way the last couple of years: Around $15 for a ticket, and drink 4-5 free beers before the game and the price of your ticket is paid for.

[oldie]

It is really amazing to me that minor league hockey gets coverage every night on the local news casts and soccer is never mentioned. The local guys will not even acknowledge the USMNT much less the Silverbacks. I know that we are in the heart of red neck country and maybe the local sportscasters are afraid of the backlash. It could be that the Silverbacks have alienated the local media somehow.

[eric515]

Some of it has to do with the PR departments of the team, too. If the Silverbacks aren't making it a point to get them the score, they won't mention it.

Even then, it takes some cajoling.

Minor league hockey also seems to occupy this accepted kitschy niche with local sportscasters. Since hockey is supposedly one of the "The Big 4"...although that is certainly up for debate...it's okay to mention.

[AAGunner3]

It is really amazing to me that minor league hockey gets coverage every night on the local news casts and soccer is never mentioned. The local guys will not even acknowledge the USMNT much less the Silverbacks. I know that we are in the heart of red neck country and maybe the local sportscasters are afraid of the backlash. It could be that the Silverbacks have alienated the local media somehow.

I'd love for them to get more traditional media coverage and while they need to push for that, they also need to do everything they can in the meantime to take advantage of alternative news outlets. I like their improved website but they can do things like tape interviews with players and post game breakdowns and put the video on the web. Video tape the games and create a Silverbacks highlight reel. Set up a blog for a favorite player or two. How about in game photos taken by the team photographer and post those on the website after everymatch. How about post game diagrams of how the silverback scored or were scored against (kind of like the AJC used to do prior to football games and the plays certain teams loved to run) None of this is original ideas - for instance steal all the ideas you can from folks like US soccer or other folks that do a good job via other avenues of communication.

Maybe they can also push for more involvement in the sports radio market. I'm a 'hardcore' sports fan and actually listen to sports talk radio - there are those of us who love futbol and football equally who wouldn't mind hearing more from our local soccer team over the radio waves. Need to cultivate those relationships more. Send them and any newspaper/TV folks in the biz w free season tickets to attend (I'm sure the already do, right?). Will the new stadium have a decent press box?

I already subscribe to the email list and that's greatly appreciated, but I feel they can do much more.

And other little things, like:
Silverbacks wallpapers for your PC/mac
Earthlink is an advertiser. How about a marketing agreement with them to post Silverbacks news articles in the sports sections of their Atlanta based user's home earthlink start-page?
Get involved somehow in well-read sports blogs/sites dealing with soccer and sports in the south - aka bigsoccer, wendy parker's "off the ball" blog at the AJC or the like. Even if it's just to come in and post in here and have a Q&A with the fans or something - that could even be something they hosted and controlled on the silverback's website.

~~~

Anyway, I totally agree on pushing to get more mainstream coverage. But in the meantime, use what you got.

[Eleven Bravo]

I'm telling you guys, you need to join us in 109. They've made the tickets the cheapest for us, a season ticket averages out to $10 a game, a single game ticket costs $12.50.

Last year ALL regular tickets were $17.

And whoever mentioned parking, parking is free.

We always looked at it this way the last couple of years: Around $15 for a ticket, and drink 4-5 free beers before the game and the price of your ticket is paid for.

hey i'm pretty unfamiliar with it so don't take what i said as "bashing". i'm just wondering if they would be scaring most Atlantans aways by charging them $15(plus, everything else that's included). i would think they would rather charge next to nothing this season so that a lot more people would be willing to come out. after they start selling some games out, then they should gradually raise them once there is the demand for tickets. how often do the Silverbacks give tickets out to the public? the stadium's capacity is what? 3,000? do they know they already have a demand for this every game?

i want to go to every game i can, but driving from Athens and gas prices today:eek: i looked at the website and the cheapest tickets they have are like $12.50 and midfield tickets are over $20. i can afford $20(plus everything else) driving from Athens maybe only 2-3 games a season(hopefully). but i promise you if i wasn't so hardcore about the Silverbacks i wouldnt go because i am the cheapest man alive.

i heard they got a hot air balloon to float over the stadium. that's great news. because that's what i always thought their major problem was their advertising. i could be wrong because i don't live in Atlanta, but i've never hear of the Silverbacks unless i go out and search for it. most fans are too lazy to do this...

where is the 109 section? how strict are they on moving around once you've got your tickets? anyways, unfortunately, i won't be able to go to the home opener but i hope to see you guys the next time we play the battery.

[BigKahuna]

hey i'm pretty unfamiliar with it so don't take what i said as "bashing". i'm just wondering if they would be scaring most Atlantans aways by charging them $15(plus, everything else that's included). i would think they would rather charge next to nothing this season so that a lot more people would be willing to come out. after they start selling some games out, then they should gradually raise them once there is the demand for tickets. how often do the Silverbacks give tickets out to the public? the stadium's capacity is what? 3,000? do they know they already have a demand for this every game?

i want to go to every game i can, but driving from Athens and gas prices today:eek: i looked at the website and the cheapest tickets they have are like $12.50 and midfield tickets are over $20. i can afford $20(plus everything else) driving from Athens maybe only 2-3 games a season(hopefully). but i promise you if i wasn't so hardcore about the Silverbacks i wouldnt go because i am the cheapest man alive.

i heard they got a hot air balloon to float over the stadium. that's great news. because that's what i always thought their major problem was their advertising. i could be wrong because i don't live in Atlanta, but i've never hear of the Silverbacks unless i go out and search for it. most fans are too lazy to do this...

where is the 109 section? how strict are they on moving around once you've got your tickets? anyways, unfortunately, i won't be able to go to the home opener but i hope to see you guys the next time we play the battery.

I totally understand your concern about travel and tickets costs. I was also a little surprised that the tickets were that much. I see it like you do in that they really should fill the seats first and build demand for tickets. At least, going to a Silverbacks game should be cheaper than going to the movies...and right now it isn't.

But I'm going to support them either way. Here's the seating chart:

http://frontline.images.tickets.com/images/privatelabel/silverbacks_208280_ovpi.jpg

I'm surprised they put the supporter's section at the ends though. I think DC got it right when they gave Barra Brava and the Screaming Eagles the prime sideline sections. It encourages hem to come to the game and makes a tremendous impression on TV.

[BigKahuna]

Whenever I get around to putting up a web site, I plan on making it clear that our preference is for the Silverbacks to have enough success to make a semi-promotion into MLS. The team has been here for over a decade so it would be nice to not have a completely expansion franchise.

Definitely go buy tickets! If the place sells out every night it would start making it harder for local media to ignore. Somehow the Gwinnett Gladiators, the equivalent of a USL-2 team, have their own section on the AJC Web Site. Does someone really want to tell me there are more hockey than soccer fans in Atlanta? :)

Thats good to hear...yeah, I think our game plan has got to be to push for the Silverbacks to move up first because, as I menioned, they have an owner and a SSS. We have to le them know that we as fans want that and that we are willing to support that. First things is to buy tickets and show up at games.:cool:

[Eleven Bravo]

I totally understand your concern about travel and tickets costs. I was also a little surprised that the tickets were that much. I see it like you do in that they really should fill the seats first and build demand for tickets. At least, going to a Silverbacks game should be cheaper than going to the movies...and right now it isn't.

But I'm going to support them either way. Here's the seating chart:

http://frontline.images.tickets.com/images/privatelabel/silverbacks_208280_ovpi.jpg

I'm surprised they put the supporter's section at the ends though. I think DC got it right when they gave Barra Brava and the Screaming Eagles the prime sideline sections. It encourages hem to come to the game and makes a tremendous impression on TV.

you would think they would put the supporter's section in the middle. those are normally going to be your most filled out spots and it would look a little weird having all the fans in a corner.

[BigKahuna]

you would think they would put the supporter's section in the middle. those are normally going to be your most filled out spots and it would look a little weird having all the fans in a corner.

Yeah, once the supporter's group get a little more organized, thats something they may be able to work with the Backs FO on.

[Eleven Bravo]

is there another place to get Silverbacks crap other than the AtlantaSilverbacks website? i was hoping to get one of those black shirts with the Silverbacks logo, maybe a jersey or something, and a bumper sticker. Do they ever give that stuff away at the games? because people would be more interested in the Silverbacks if they were to see people wear Silverbacks equipment everywhere.

[oldie]

I think that the supporters group requested that section of the stadium.

[BigKahuna]

is there another place to get Silverbacks crap other than the AtlantaSilverbacks website? i was hoping to get one of those black shirts with the Silverbacks logo, maybe a jersey or something, and a bumper sticker. Do they ever give that stuff away at the games? because people would be more interested in the Silverbacks if they were to see people wear Silverbacks equipment everywhere.

I'm not sure but I assume that the Backs websie is probably the only place to find the stuff.

[BigKahuna]

I think that the supporters group requested that section of the stadium.

hmmm...ok. Well hopefully we'll see the day when there are a few thousand members and we could take over that whole side and let the casual fans sit in the upper deck.

[AAGunner3]

hmmm...ok. Well hopefully we'll see the day when there are a few thousand members and we could take over that whole side and let the casual fans sit in the upper deck.

hear, hear!

[Garrettt]

One of the reasons we got the end was so we could have a separate entrance and tailgate area right outside the gates. I think the corners are better because you get to be right on top of the other teams corners from that side and get first shot at congrat our players who score on that end. Plus you can bet that if the other team runs offside there will be about 100 'refs' there on that end to let them know about it! :)

Keep a look out for folks with season tickets who might not make every game. I have already seen several people get a low priced ticket that way. Last season people also got them from players who came by the tailgates......

Totally looking forward to the home opener....