I was thinking about how we really need to get the Hispanic market into the new MLS team. For the most part I see TL being very European centric, which isn't a bad thing, but I do not see it resonating with the Mexican population around Atlanta. I feel it would be a very good thing if TL had a sister SG that was very Mexican focused. That is the only way I feel you pull that market. I know Club America has a huge presence around ATL and if they created a group watch out. Attendance and excitement around the team would be huge.
Ideally it would be great to have an great mix. Most of the Hispanic people I coach or have played with here in Rome pay no attention to MLS and only to La Liga in Europe. They follow very closely Liga MX.
I assume that there will eventually be multiple Supporters Groups. I think we should all encourage that, actually. If TL is the only support group that the club can get (eventually, not worried about it now) then that's really pretty sad. But let those groups emerge and evolve organically and on their own. Don't worry so much about making a group for so and so sub-section of the fanbase unless you *are* that sub-section. I will note that on Announcement Day, TL had a somewhat diverse crew, and there were all sorts of people signing up, and that felt good. If it's all white guys signing up, that's a problem. But it wasn't, so don't fret it yet.
I have a friend from Norcross who basically said she doesn't care much about MLS, and I know she's a Club America fan. I get liking that league, the EPL or La Liga better. I don't get totally ignoring the chance to actually see live games with a local team. If I lived in, say, Washington I'd go see either UW or WSU play at times even though I like UGA and the SEC way better. But I agree with the other poster who said these groups need to organically grow on their own. With all the people who speak Spanish as a primary language, I wouldn't be surprised to see a group sprout up that caters more to Spanish-speaking fans. Or maybe a group of Mexican League fans that get together elsewhere to watch that league. I hope more than one group arises, because the others will cater to different tastes.
Get TL's input on this one... With this being the south's team, and this was the concept of BOSS, but that we will encourage the growth of mini-chapters outside of ATL. I hope to ho get some people together to create the Athens Cohort. Maybe we can get a lot more " cohorts" to stick with the Latin theme, all across the south. I know we have a lot of fans from Birmingham.... I would encourage a Birmingham cohort... They can watch the away games together and maybe figure out a mass transit idea for home games.
You should contact the AO chapter in these cities. I live in Montgomery. We are trying to get an AO chapter together. I think they are excited about Atl.
TL chapters are something we are talking about would like to do but as of now we are not going that route as we have no guidelines for what being a chapter would entail.