Sure that whole hockey in the Dirty South fad didn’t work out and its fan support is questionable, but the city of Atlanta isn’t giving up on acquiring more pro sports franchises. Soccer’s popularity is on the rise in the United States and Falcons owner Arthur Blank is trying to capitalize on that wave by bringing an MLS franchise to Atlanta. This expansion franchise would likely open up their new Origami Dome around 2017.
Via Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
The recent approval of the new Falcons’ stadium accelerated the talks between Blank and the league. The construction of the stadium is scheduled to be finished in 2017 and the two parties have discussed opening the stadium with an MLS game featuring the expansion team.
The league is targeting adding four expansion franchises between 2015-20, and MLS commissioner Don Garber told TSN on Wednesday that three of the four franchises “are spoken for.”
