Contact List...

[Eleven Bravo]

instead of having to dig out information from the different threads. let's put a list of all the different people we could contact in order to help support Atlanta MLS.

[Eleven Bravo]

i stole this from Big Kahuna in the how to make atlanta work-


NAME: Gary Stokan - President of the Atlanta Sports Council

CONTACT: http://www.atlantasportscouncil.com/aboutus_staff.aspx

IMPORTANCE: Here is the Atlanta Sports Council Mission Statement:

"The Atlanta Sports Council promotes the value of sports growth in Atlanta and Georgia by acting as an authority on the economic impact, visibility and quality of life issues associated with sports. Its mission is to lead, organize and support sports development with the goal of building Atlanta 's reputation as the Sports Capital of the World. "

Stokan was one of the Atlanta reps to meet with MLS when they were scouting out Atlanta as a possible site for expansion. He is definately someone that needs to know that Atlanta will support the effort to bring a team here.

[Eleven Bravo]

same source-

NAME: Mike Knobler

EMAIL: mknobler@ajc.com

IMPORTANCE: Sports writer for the AJC. I read an article he wrote about soccer in Atlanta the other day so he may have some information. I'll try to contact him in a few days.

[Eleven Bravo]

again from BK-

Here are some contacts in the Atlanta Silverbacks organizaion:

http://www.atlantasilverbacks.com/pro/contact.php

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NAME: Stephen Pratten - President of Atlanta Silverbacks

EMAIL: stephen.pratten@atlantasilverbacks. com

PHONE: 404-969-4900

IMPORTANCE: Obviously one of the possibiliies for MLS expansion is for the Silverbacks to move up. Hopefully, the front office is open to this idea an Pratten seems to be the highest ranking official who's email is redily available. I'll try to write him a little note soon.

[Eleven Bravo]

from AAgunner-


Have you checked Wendy's soccer blog, "Off the Ball"?

I bet her email is: wparker@ajc.com

According to Great South's 2005-6 SID Manual
and AtlantaSnews.com that's her email.

[BigKahuna]

I recently wrote to Mike Knobler from the AJC and he was very prompt in responding to my email. I asked him about the latest regarding MLS expansion and the Atlanta Silverbacks. Here is his response:

Thanks for your e-mail. The short answer to your question is that I asked
it of the MLS' pr guy about a month ago. They've got expansion plans
mapped out for the next couple of years, but Atlanta isn't one of the
places they're expanding. I didn't push him on the situation beyond that.

Here's what MLS' commissioner told reporters on Wednesday:

"Expansion, as I mentioned, will happen next year in Toronto. The next
team, our 14th team, will be in the Midwest--Cleveland or St. Louis, two
cities that are vying for that 14th team. The 15th and 16th we hope to
happen by the end of the decade. That will be in either St. Louis or
Cleveland, possibly Philadelphia, San Jose, and Milwaukee is another
market where we're making a lot of process. We have a lot of cities that
are interested in being number 15 or 16. Then we're going to take a deep
breath and stop for awhile."

So it doesn't look good for Atlanta anytime soon.

What can fans do? The first, easiest answer is to show up at Silverbacks
games. Proof of fan interest always helps any expansion bid. Atlanta's
sports attendance figures aren't good. Then somebody has to step forward
as a potential ownership group (as you know, this is different than in
other leagues, as the owners are really investors in the league as a whole
and operators of the local team). Finally, there's the question of where a
team would play. The MLS likes new stadiums. Who would pay for one? Where
would it be? I know the Silverbacks are about to open a 3,000-seat
stadium, but that's not the size you'd need for an MLS team.

Best of luck, and enjoy the World Cup.

Mike Knobler


Not terribly optimistic but he did echo sentiments that our best chance is to support the Silverbacks. Mad props to him for responding!