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Behind the Stripes

Arthur Blank

By Atlanta United FC

September 21^st, 2017

Whether you refer to him as Mr. Blank or Uncle Arthur, it’s no secret that Atlanta United owner Arthur Blank has become an icon for the city of Atlanta. And while he may have been born in New York, it’s the South, and the city of Atlanta, that has shaped his life in many ways.

“Atlanta is a very special place to me, it’s my home,” Blank says. “It’s where I’ve raised my family and where I’ve grown my businesses.”

And it’s fair to say Blank has given back as much as much as he’s received from his city – and then some. He turned the beloved Atlanta Falcons into a force in the NFL and Super Bowl contenders, created countless jobs and given hundreds of millions to philanthropic causes. And about a decade ago – years before the official bid became reality – he started considering an MLS team for Atlanta.

“We knew we had to wait until the city was ready to support an MLS club,” Blank says. “When we finalized the timeline for the new stadium, we started to think seriously about an MLS team. We moved forward building a world-class stadium that would not only showcase American football but MLS and global soccer as well."

"When we announced the team in April of 2014 to amazing fanfare, we knew the time was right for professional soccer in Atlanta.”

Soccer is a family affair for the Blanks. Arthur met his wife Angie through the beautiful game. His son, Josh, played at every level in the Atlanta youth scene and is currently playing at Elon University in North Carolina. Blank says the game has only emphasized what’s made Atlanta, and the Atlanta United fan base, beautiful.

“Atlanta is a vibrant, diverse, growing city with a community spirit that exemplifies true southern hospitality. I am constantly amazed and humbled by the support we receive from our fans, and we will continue to work to make them proud.”

Arthur was confident from the start that the city would fall in love with professional soccer, but no one could have been fully prepared for what was to come from the Five Stripes nation.

“The atmosphere at an Atlanta United match is unlike any other in American professional sports."

"The energy and passion the fans bring to Mercedes-Benz Stadium is unparalleled, the noise level and the chants coming from our supporters’ section combined with the teams’ exciting, fast-paced playing style is something every sports fan should experience.”

That unwavering support from the city culminated this past week, when more than 70,000 fans decked out in red, black and gold filled the brand new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, setting an MLS record for attendance. There was no one more fitting to perform the pre-match Golden Spike ritual that day than the man who started it all.

“It was an incredible experience, an honor for me and one that I will never forget. Being a part of the Golden Spike ceremony was a way for me to show my gratitude to our supporters and to be a part of the growing traditions they are creating for the club.”

With Atlanta boasting one of the most exciting teams in MLS, backed every week by the biggest and best crowd in the league, it’s fair to say Arthur’s vision for soccer in Atlanta has been validated so far. But he’s focused on the future, and isn’t satisfied yet.

“I am proud of what we’ve accomplished as an organization, and excited for what’s to come."

"From the start our aim was to produce a winning product on and off the pitch. A cornerstone to achieving that goal was to build a world-class training facility for our coaches and players that also served as an asset to the community. Our early success is in large part a result of the vision and dedication of the club’s leaders, Darren [Eales], Carlos [Bocanegra], Paul [McDonough] and Tony [Annan] as well as the record-breaking support we’ve received from our fans. The season isn’t over yet – we’ve still got our eye on the playoffs.”