Who would make the best rival for an Atlanta team?

[Georgia Empire]

of course i would rather an MLS team to go to Atlanta first, but who would you like for a rival? Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Nashville, Memphis, New Orleans, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Birmingham, Charleston, Cary, or Charlotte? or an already established MLS team DC, Houston, FC Dallas?

I think it would have to be a Florida team and probably the most hated out of all of them would be Miami. I like North Carolina as a rival as well. however, Carolina and Georgia fans fight more like brother(Georgia) and sister(Carolina) and Georgia and Florida fans fight more like sworn enemies.

[BigKahuna]

Its tough to tell really. I think an Atlanta team would have a bigger rivalry with another team from the south...not Florida. But I don't think we'll be getting two teams, so if an expansion team goes back to Florida, that could turn into a good one. Other than that, a DC rivalry could get interesting.

[chlaga]

Its tough to tell really. I think an Atlanta team would have a bigger rivalry with another team from the south...not Florida. But I don't think we'll be getting two teams, so if an expansion team goes back to Florida, that could turn into a good one. Other than that, a DC rivalry could get interesting.


Yes in South and not Florida. If Charlotte were in the league that would be my guess.

[AtlantaUnited]

DC United since they are closest and the Yankees of MLS.

[BigKahuna]

DC United since they are closest and the Yankees of MLS.

Yankees of MLS? I don't think any team matches that analogy.

[AtlantaUnited]

4 titles and THE most recognizable team in the league with the biggest fanbase. Yes it does.

[jbeall]

4 titles and THE most recognizable team in the league with the biggest fanbase. Yes it does.

And four titles in ten seasons = 40% of the titles (duh, right? :D ), giving them a greater percentage than the Yankees.


I know, I know... apples to oranges, but it's worth pointing out.

[BigKahuna]

4 titles and THE most recognizable team in the league with the biggest fanbase. Yes it does.

Yeah, but DC didnt buy them:cool:

[AtlantaUnited]

Yeah, but DC didnt buy them:cool:

Alright if you want to split hairs. To put it simply, DC has the most MLS titles, the Yanks have the most MLB titles.

[Eleven Bravo]

after attending the US game against Morocco tuesday, i am glad to see such a large crowd and most of the license plates i saw and people i talked to where from Georgia. a big problem though was the interstate couldn't handle that many people leaving at once.

[jbeall]

a big problem though was the interstate couldn't handle that many people leaving at once.


And why would they ever want to? :D

[Eleven Bravo]

Also, after that game and what i read about the Birmingham game, Georgia, Tennesse, and Alabama seem to be united to support soccer. 26,141 is a great crowd, but i know not to expect that for an average MLS game. but Cleveland got 29 thousand and i wonder how many of those fans were Crew fans. the thing to be optimistic about is that is 26,000 soccer starved fans with no MLS team compared to 29,000 without a soccer team. plus, it was in Nashville when most of the southern fans are probably from Atlanta.

also, SC, NC, and and southern VA might be good for a North Carolina team. considering the support from the Cary game. thus, it might not be a bad idea to have a Carolina team and an Atlanta team. i still think Florida would make a great rival too.

[jbeall]

One thing about a GA/FL rivalry... it only seems to really work in college football. I just don't know if that natural hatred will transfer over to MLS, esp. since the demographics for the two sports don't entirely overlap.

At least on the professional level, my guess is that a Carolina or Nashville rivalry would be better. Maybe if they put a team in South Carolina... I haven't felt a real hatred for Florida since the 'Evil Genius' left!

[Eleven Bravo]

between Carolina and Nashville i pick Carolina. put the team in Cary or Charlotte. SC, NC, and even maybe southern VA could pull for a Cary team while GA, AL, TN, and maybe even MS and northern FL could pull for an Atlanta team. you'd just to have make sure you market it to those states so they feel a tie to the team. soccer camps i think would be the best thing to attract a non-local audience.

[jbeall]

you'd just to have make sure you market it to those states so they feel a tie to the team. soccer camps i think would be the best thing to attract a non-local audience.

Hit the nail on the head. They've gotta actually get out on the ground a do the legwork in marketing, esp. to kids who play soccer now but will stop after a certain age. They'll still like soccer, and possibly go to games, but the relationship has to be established early.

[Eleven Bravo]

Hit the nail on the head. They've gotta actually get out on the ground a do the legwork in marketing, esp. to kids who play soccer now but will stop after a certain age. They'll still like soccer, and possibly go to games, but the relationship has to be established early.

i think that's the Silverbacks biggest problem(granted, they probably do more than i know of) is that they don't try and use aggressive marketing and steal the kids away from Nashville, Birmingham, Macon, Augusta, Savannah, Montgomery, and other cities in the south that don't have a team to support. even though the league is during the summer and that's when the camp has to be, but you could get the reserves and some other former pro players to help train the kids. and then at the end of the camp have a Silverbacks pro game that they can watch. I PROMMMMMMMMMMMMISSSSSSSSSSE that is the BEST way to build a team from the grass roots. because the kids will get to see firsthand the Silverbacks team and that will give them a team to admire and support.

also, they need to broadcast their games online so that the non-local fans can keep up with the team. take me for instance, i'm from Athens which isn't really too far away but it is now because of gas and my work hours and i can't go to every single game even though i want to. ESPN is not going to pick up the games any time soon so watching the games online are the only way you are going to be able to keep up with the team. And if people aren't keeping up with the team than you can count out possible fan support.

I'd even be willing to pay a fee to watch the games online at their website to contribute to the team. however, they need to have free highlight clips and interviews(like ussoccer.com) on their website to try and reel the fans in because people want to know what they are getting before they spend their hard earned cash.

[BigKahuna]

Also, after that game and what i read about the Birmingham game, Georgia, Tennesse, and Alabama seem to be united to support soccer. 26,141 is a great crowd, but i know not to expect that for an average MLS game. but Cleveland got 29 thousand and i wonder how many of those fans were Crew fans. the thing to be optimistic about is that is 26,000 soccer starved fans with no MLS team compared to 29,000 without a soccer team. plus, it was in Nashville when most of the southern fans are probably from Atlanta.

also, SC, NC, and and southern VA might be good for a North Carolina team. considering the support from the Cary game. thus, it might not be a bad idea to have a Carolina team and an Atlanta team. i still think Florida would make a great rival too.

I was wondering about that as well...I really wish we could quantify how many of those fans were from Georgia.

[BigKahuna]

One thing about a GA/FL rivalry... it only seems to really work in college football. I just don't know if that natural hatred will transfer over to MLS, esp. since the demographics for the two sports don't entirely overlap.

At least on the professional level, my guess is that a Carolina or Nashville rivalry would be better. Maybe if they put a team in South Carolina... I haven't felt a real hatred for Florida since the 'Evil Genius' left!

I think Southern soccer fans would be united for a southern team...just a feeling.

[BigKahuna]

i think that's the Silverbacks biggest problem(granted, they probably do more than i know of) is that they don't try and use aggressive marketing and steal the kids away from Nashville, Birmingham, Macon, Augusta, Savannah, Montgomery, and other cities in the south that don't have a team to support. even though the league is during the summer and that's when the camp has to be, but you could get the reserves and some other former pro players to help train the kids. and then at the end of the camp have a Silverbacks pro game that they can watch. I PROMMMMMMMMMMMMISSSSSSSSSSE that is the BEST way to build a team from the grass roots. because the kids will get to see firsthand the Silverbacks team and that will give them a team to admire and support.

also, they need to broadcast their games online so that the non-local fans can keep up with the team. take me for instance, i'm from Athens which isn't really too far away but it is now because of gas and my work hours and i can't go to every single game even though i want to. ESPN is not going to pick up the games any time soon so watching the games online are the only way you are going to be able to keep up with the team. And if people aren't keeping up with the team than you can count out possible fan support.

I'd even be willing to pay a fee to watch the games online at their website to contribute to the team. however, they need to have free highlight clips and interviews(like ussoccer.com) on their website to try and reel the fans in because people want to know what they are getting before they spend their hard earned cash.

The problem with Marketing to kids is that they don't have money and can't drive. Because of this I think MLS has been doing it all wrong. I was actually talking to Stephan Pratten about this...how would you encourage kids to come to the games? You could give them free tickets...but now you've got to rely on wheher or not their parents are willing to take the remainder of a weekend that is already taken up by the kids' soccer games and pay for their tickets to see the Backs. Now mos parents don't really see this as a good thing, but more as a pain in the ass that makes them even more resistant to prosoccer. Basically you're not doing them any favors. The way to go in my opinion is marketing to the 18-30 age group...young fans willing to go to the games likely bringing friends that may not be familiar with soccer. They have he money, time, and desire o go see soccer on a weekly basis...and will buy more beer too:D

[Eleven Bravo]

The problem with Marketing to kids is that they don't have money and can't drive. Because of this I think MLS has been doing it all wrong. I was actually talking to Stephan Pratten about this...how would you encourage kids to come to the games? You could give them free tickets...but now you've got to rely on wheher or not their parents are willing to take the remainder of a weekend that is already taken up by the kids' soccer games and pay for their tickets to see the Backs. Now mos parents don't really see this as a good thing, but more as a pain in the ass that makes them even more resistant to prosoccer. Basically you're not doing them any favors. The way to go in my opinion is marketing to the 18-30 age group...young fans willing to go to the games likely bringing friends that may not be familiar with soccer. They have he money, time, and desire o go see soccer on a weekly basis...and will buy more beer too:D

i think it's important to kind of do both. If you are going to build it from the grass roots you have to market to the kids. but on the other hand you have to give the kids something to look forward to when they get older. i like how there will be a separate seating area for the "crazy" fans and you have separate seating for the "family" fans. a big problem with the USA game in Nashville is that the crazy fans were sitting with the family fans...not a good mix because one likes to sit and enjoy a nice family event while the other wants to stand and cheer like a mad man.

i think what you said, BK, is a really good idea about letting kids in free because even if it's a pain in the ass it still puts butts in the seats(which should be goal #1). now it may hurt in the short term, but in the long run if the games are passionate and fun than the kids when they grow up are going to want to be a member of the "crazy" fans when they go to college(or even highschool). But they have to see it, if they see it as a boring, your "typical American soccer game" than they aren't going to want pay money for that when they get older. If they don't come, they don't come. it's not really a big negative because you'll still hopefully get the crazy fans out there.

Also, the good thing about camps is that it allows the kids to be able to interact with the Silverbacks. All kids need someone to look up to and by having the camps the kids will look up the Atlanta Silverbacks and it will pay off in the long run. As well, most people from Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Tennesse, and Carolina feel left out without an MLS team to pull for so by having the camps they will be more likely to support the Silverbacks because they've had that "bonding" or whatever you want to call it.

Therefore, my point is since the Atlanta Silverbacks are trying to be patient with their growth than they need to try and plant the passion of the sport in the kids today so that when they get older they will be more likely to go to the games.

I love what they are doing with the fireworks for the game and having the drumline people come out. it may be expensive now but it will definately help in the long run. hopefully, we'll see a good game against the Battery and of course a win for the Silverbacks. (no 0-0 game please!!!)

Questions i have:
*Do they allow smoke or flares for the Silverbacks games? i think this would be a good way to stray away from the "typical boring soccer game" (that most people associate soccer with).
*How do we get more Hispanics to the games?
*eye candy!!! where are the cheerleaders???