Atlanta is a city that has seen its fair share of success in presenting itself as a viable host for both national and international sporting events. Highlighted by the Olympic Games in 1996, in recent years Atlanta has played host to numerous other large-scale tournaments such as NBA and NHL All-Star games and Final Four tournaments. But was Atlanta ready to play host to an international match in the world’s most popular sport? On June 24, 2009, that question was answered.
Mexico and Venezuela’s national soccer teams faced off in a friendly match here in Atlanta three weeks ago with a stunning win for the Mexican team 4-0. What many don’t realize is just how much was riding on this friendly match. It had nothing to do with the high-caliber, internationally known players on the field; it was all about the fans.
Soccer may be the most popular sport in the world, but here in America, it sits on the back burner behind football, baseball, basketball, and even sometimes hockey. Overseas, soccer players are celebrities just like our NFL and NBA players. The question wasn’t whether Atlanta has the infrastructure and capacity for games such as the one held late last month. The question was if there was a large enough soccer fan base to come out and support these teams.
For now, the answer seems to be yes. Of the Georgia Dome’s 71,228-plus capacity, over 50,000 fans packed the stadium for last month’s match. Players and staff from both teams expressed how great the environment was and how welcome they felt from the moment they stepped off the plane.
What does this mean for the future of world-class soccer events in Atlanta? Towards the end of this month fans will get another chance to show that they are ready for more big, in-town soccer matches. AC Milan (one of the world’s most prestigious teams) and superstar Ronaldinho (one of the best active players in the world) will take on Club America, a team from Mexico. The match will take place Wednesday July 22 at the Georgia Dome. If you’re not excited about soccer yet, it’s time to catch the fever.
Collier can be reached at ccollier@scoreatl.com.
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