OK, you are totally right in that we want the Silverbacks to stay. I know I do. Right now, I'm battling my love for the Silverbacks vs. my desire to see the best soccer possible in Atlanta. I'm both loyal to my Atlanta teams, but also to growing soccer in the U.S. It's a tough situation to be in for me. But I guess my point is, I'd like to see a more proximate city purchase the NASL franchise rights the Silverbacks might forfeit when the MLS team comes to town.
Miami FC is a completely new expansion club and has nothing to do with Atlanta Silverbacks. Won't be surprised to see Atlanta move to another city though.
The team will not move unless it is to a suburb of Atlanta. There is nothing to move. The team has no assets that are worth anything to a owner in another city. I think all the player contracts are one year deals and I bet most of the front office staff would not move to another city. The brand would be virtually meaningless in another city. Any new owner group could just as easily just start a new team from the ground up in another city. My thoughts for the future; team could find a new owner willing to go up against MLS (not likely), new owner could continue team but move down to NPSL or USL (possible), team just folds like so many other minor league teams have done in the past (most likely).
If the club can be bought for a price that makes it more advantageous then paying the 3 Million fee for an expansion team it may be sold and moved.
There is a significant group of fans that wants to see the Silverbacks continue at Silverbacks Park as an NPSL club, maintaining their 20 year history with numerous close road trip possibilities and a low cost organizational arrangement. It would just be like the Reserves were the whole club and the reserves absorbs the historical records etc. I would rather see them continue in NASL obviously, but would take NPSL gladly over extinction. Then Boris can have his model of adult Leagues and an NPSL team the stadium, etc. basically all of it for a low cost, although in a different form, the fans do keep our club and the slight possible faint hope of a future reinvestment/rebuild.
So can the SB's survive in the NASL with the pun in the room (gorilla)? Playing at SB Park is not a winning answer for them. Needs to be bigger, and from what I have heard from locals - they don't like the location very much. Is Kennesaw the answer - probably not. They have football playing there, and it probably isn't as inexpensive as people would think. So where do you go? Seems the only answer is relocate.
It is pretty simple, the Silverbacks are not going to survive as an NASL team in Atlanta once the new MLS Atlanta team starts up. There is no way around it. I personally would hold nothing against you for switching your allegiance. From my vantage point the owner of the Silverbacks didn't seem to be interested in giving Atlanta fans the best soccer possible, so consider yourself lucky that you are getting an MLS team.
Not so sure myself. Silverbacks have a history (near sell outs the last couple years). New team is doing everything they can wrong. Playing in an NFL stadium. Absurd name. Seems like with the right owner they might have a shot.
Don't give up hope! Before, I would have said that a MLS team in Atlanta would have surely killed off the Silverbacks, but now I not so certain. MLS has been making lots of mistakes lately.
I have been happy with the response to the name of the MLS Atlanta team. Glad to see people are tired of copying other teams.
SOURCE: Only 4 #NASL teams want to keep #Silverbacks in #ATL as league-owned. Source reveals they spoke at length about silverbacks (1/2)— Sulaiman Folarin (@sulaiman4real) September 29, 2015
Birmingham isn't exactly small, it is actually about the perfect size for a D2 league, so I would think there would be at least a few people with the money to. Bigger question is if there would be any interest. If the NASL footed the bill to move the team there, get stadium, etc. I am sure you would be more likely to find some interest.
They could use Legion Field to start. It's where the USWNT played when they were in Birmingham. UAB is building a new soccer stadium or they could play at the Hoover Met. There are lots of stadiums.
Based on the most recent information we have, the Silverbacks ran at an operating loss of $2.5M last year (per Sulaiman Folarin)