Atlanta Silverbacks' owners considering selling, relocating team

According to a report in today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the owners of the Atlanta Silverbacks are considering selling the team. The report claims that the ownership group is looking to sell the club to a group looking to relocate the NASL side, while keeping the Silverbacks name, training facility, and stadium for a lower level club in the Atlanta area, which will not be affiliated with the soon to be formed MLS side calling Atlanta home.

The current ownership group in Atlanta hasn't been willing to invest in the club, even by the meager standards of most of the NASL. Unsurprisingly, the club has consistently been at or near the bottom of the NASL standings since joining the league in 2011, with the exception of a run to the spring title in 2013.

While the results on the field have been less than spectacular for the Silverbacks for most of their recent history, attendance hasn't been bad at all considering the fact that they have a 5,000 seat stadium. During the 2012 and 2013 seasons, the Silverbacks were averaging over 90% attendance, which is a very respectable figure for a NASL side. Attendance appears to be slightly down in 2014, but it's debatable whether or not it's dropped to the point that the league should consider moving the club.

That said, the NASL would almost certainly benefit from having an ownership group more committed to putting a quality product on the field. It will be a real shame if that group decides to move the club out of Atlanta, but with MLS moving into town in the near future, I can understand why they might feel that moving is for the best.