CHAUNTE’L POWELL: Atlanta United lays the blueprint for U.S. soccer

The first World Cup weekend is upon us, and while folks in this country have to wait for the next go-around to see the United States compete, it was announced Wednesday that North America will host the 2026 World Cup.

Securing a hosting position is a huge positive for U.S. soccer, but will it really matter if the interest isn’t there?

It’s no secret that the U.S. is behind the rest of the world when it comes to soccer support, but with eight years to try to close that gap, I suggest taking a look at the Atlanta United MLS Team.

The United is the baby of the league and was formed as an expansion team four years ago. It has since become one of the hottest soccer teams in the country, selling out regularly and boasting one of the highest attendance records in the MLS while becoming one of Atlanta’s pride and joys.

I spoke with a buddy of mine, Jason Weintraub, who is an avid soccer fan and long-time Atlanta resident and has been a regular at United games. He provided some insight as to what the club has done to take the city and the league by storm.

The first is catering to the unique makeup of the city.

“This is a team that the city has really gotten behind, and I think that’s because Atlanta is a transit city and people move here from all over and they already have teams,” he said. “When you go to Braves games versus, say, the Cubs, it’ll be 60 percent Cubs fans, 40 percent Braves because people bring their teams here. Because the MLS is fairly new and the United are only in their second year, people in Atlanta finally feel like they have a team that’s theirs in their new city.”

Weintraub added the organization has done an incredible job incorporating the culture of the city into the newly created traditions, which continues to foster deeper ties to the team. For example, Atlanta-based entertainers and prominent figures are called upon to hammer the team’s Golden Spike before home matches. The tradition connects the city to its legends and gets everyone excited about the team.

While the pomp and circumstance is important in creating a fanbase, the talent is just as important in order to keep people engaged. Weintraub said owner Arthur Blank has done his due diligence to put out an entertaining product and attract top talent.

“This team was built with a plan in mind. Arthur Blank hires Darren Eales, who I believe worked at Liverpool. They developed a strategy that they wanted an entertaining team,” Weintraub said. “I think Darren and Arthur came out and said, ‘I’d rather win a game 4-3 than 1-0,’ so that’s been the philosophy.”

From hiring well-respected former Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino to lead the club to the talented young players signed, Weintraub said Blank was not afraid to loosen the purse strings and put together a quality team, and so far it has paid off.

Which brings me back to my original point, how the U.S. can benefit from this model.

One of the main issues within the country when it comes to soccer is access to the sport. While the United States boasts impressive athletes, they might not be the best the country has to offer due to how the talent is picked up. The United is trying to help solve that problem with the “Soccer in the Streets” initiative.

Various games are hosted at a field built in the city’s Five Points MARTA station in an attempt to empower youth and build connections through soccer, and so far it has been well received, according to Weintraub.

Atlanta laid the blueprint, and now it’s up to the rest of the country to follow. Until then, allez Brasil!

Contact Chaunte’l Powell at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @chauntelpowell.