ajc article on the beat at morris brown

phats_away · Aug 8, 2002

http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/epaper/editions/thursday/city_life_d3150409d46b001f0063.html

Bonnie Lass · Aug 8, 2002

That was an excellent article!

AAGunner3 · Aug 8, 2002

Really enjoyed Herndon Stadium this year..

It's cozy, sitll has a nice skyline view, love all the brick buildings and have personally had no problems during my visits. And it's not much further than the Ga. Tech campus. Just a nice little drive down Northside Dr. to the GWCC. Nothing's gonna keep this white, suburban, redneck soccer-fan away.

On another note, I had heard at one time that Ga Tech and the Beat were talking about a partnership on land somewhere to build a soccer specific stadium. It would help launch the GT women's team. Hope that is still in the works for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that GT is my alma mater.

FearM9 · Aug 8, 2002

Excellent article. Thanks for posting that phats!

And it was our very own melbrown who first guessed last season that Bobby Dodd was gonna be the Beat's new home.

phats_away · Aug 8, 2002

somoene should post the whole thing before it goes byebye (for archival sake)

there have been a few beat articles here and there that i've forgotten to post. one on cp doing radio work for tourism in ga

melbrown · Aug 9, 2002

Originally posted by FearM9
Excellent article. Thanks for posting that phats!

And it was our very own melbrown who first guessed last season that Bobby Dodd was gonna be the Beat's new home.
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Good old M Brown stadium!
That was a great article. Hope any reluctant fans read it and decide to make the trip.

flix · Aug 9, 2002

Beat's move lifts inner city - Games a welcome revenue boost
Chandra R. Thomas - For the Journal-Constitution
Thursday, August 8, 2002

main points & quotes from the article:

As much as Georgia Tech grad James Collier loves his alma mater, he's glad the Atlanta Beat women's soccer team moved its games from Tech to the campus of Morris Brown College this year.

"It's just nice to be able to come on this side of town for something positive like this," said Collier, a southeast Atlanta resident. He brought his family to a recent game.

"This brings some much-needed revenue to this community. It also lets everybody see that we black folks have something to offer in our communities," he said.

This summer's Beat games have brought fans from throughout metro Atlanta to Herndon Stadium. And while many may have attended events at the Georgia Dome just down the street, they likely are getting their first look at the Morris Brown campus and environs as they stroll to Herndon...

Beat officials and community leaders can't point yet to concrete benefits to the surrounding Vine City, West End and Atlanta University Center areas. But they are optimistic about the relationship.

"Anytime you're in a community that has been through the wringer, anything you can do to show the kids something positive is going to be a good thing," -Rev. Etha Pitts, pastor of West Mitchell CME Church

Morris Brown has gained student internships in the team's marketing department, and more outreach efforts are being discussed.

"We would like to do some soccer clinics and maybe have some of the players speak at some of the local schools," team marketing director Lee Kallman said. "Our players are great role models."

The team already has joined forces with Soccer in the Streets, an Atlanta-based program trying to bring soccer to inner-city kids around the country. Phil Hill, chairman of Soccer in the Streets, said the Beat's new location is ideal because Vine City is one of its target areas to launch its Street Box program, which transforms deserted tennis courts into soccer fields.

Bright also said he thinks the influx of suburbanites attending games will help the community's image.

"When people come over here, they'll see that it's not bad like they thought," he said. "This can change some of the negative attitudes and perceptions many people have about this area."

At a recent game, Pam and Jim Short of east Cobb County said the new site initially concerned them.

"I was a little worried at first because I didn't know the neighborhood," Pam Short said, while standing in line to get her daughter's face painted. "But now we love it better than the old stadium. It's much more open than the other one."

As for Collier, the Beat's move has inspired him to invest in the community. He's now working on purchasing investment property in Vine City.

"A lot of urban areas throughout Atlanta have been in transition," he said. "I think this area may be next. Ventures like this will bring more people into this area. That's a very good thing."
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