The worst kept secret for Major League Soccer so far this year became a reality on July 7. Atlanta has officially united; and then tossed in “FC” for good measure. Atlanta’s expansion into Major League Soccer is officially official, and we have the unoriginal name to prove it.
After a few days of digestions, it is difficult not to be hard on the ownership group for the name. The logo is actually pretty nice, and the color scheme is exactly what we all expected it to be, but let’s look at the name for a second. As mentioned in a previous article, Atlanta is utilizing its deep and diverse heritage to “unite” the fan base across the city and suburbs. It is commendable, and probably accurate, but original it is not. Taking some inspiration from Europe, adding the “FC” at the end does very little and will alienate the die hard NFL fans. Do not forget that Atlanta is in the middle of American Football Country. That aside, the premise as described in their launch video does make sense, although the narrator is obviously not from Atlanta, he does a great job of explaining the premise behind everything.
Shall we jump to the logo itself? It is actually very simplistic and clean, which is what everyone like in this day and age. The circle was inspired by the city seal and is a symbol of unity. The gold symbolizes excellence and the “A” is connected to the circle to show the connection to the community, as the man on the video claims. The red and black are there to show pride and power, respectfully, but to be honest; it is the same color scheme as the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. Those two teams will share a stadium as well as an owner, so it just makes it easier for the marketing people to do their job.
So where does this leave the newly minted Atlanta United FC? It is nothing more than another milestone in an extremely long journey. Organizationally they have added some big names such as Darren Eales, President, and former USMNT Captain, Carlos Bocanegra, as Technical Director. Their next steps will be to hire a General Manager and start assembling the coaches, though kick-off will not be until 2017.
Arthur Blank is known for his ability to run an effective sports franchise. Just look at the Atlanta Falcons; but soccer is a different beast. The fan base is much different than that of your run of the mill NFL team, so he has to be careful on how to maintain the enthusiasm for another year. After next season, everything becomes real, and it is up to the leadership to maintain that buzz that is currently building in the city. The name is the only misstep that has been noticeable thus far, and even that will probably grow on everyone in due time.
Atlanta United FC needs to have success in Major League Soccer, not just for them, but for the entire Southeast. The city has a rich history of soccer, and Arthur Blank’s crew is hoping that unites fans across the region to support their club. After all, they are Atlanta “United” FC.
