ATLANTA (February 28, 2019) | Today, Sen. P.K. Martin (R – Lawrenceville) welcomed representatives from Atlanta United FC, including owner and founder Arthur Blank, to the Senate chamber. Atlanta United won the 2018 Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup, the first major league sports championship win for the City of Atlanta and State of Georgia since 1995.
“I was honored to welcome Atlanta United representatives, Mr. Arthur Blank, and fans to the Senate chamber today,” said Sen. Martin. “When Arthur Blank announced that a Major League Soccer club would be making its home in Atlanta, the soccer world doubted our dedication to a team. But here we are today, with thousands of dedicated fans and an MLS Cup to show for the team and fans who truly unite and conquer. I am glad we proved them wrong by breaking records previously set by ‘soccer cities’ and established our city and state as a soccer state. I look forward, as do so many around our state, to seeing what this team can do in the years to come.”
Additionally, Senate Bill 8 was passed on the Senate floor today. SB 8 would create a license plate that features the Atlanta United FC logo and the signature red and black stripes. A portion of the fees from the license plate would benefit the Atlanta United Foundation.
Sen. Martin sponsored Senate Resolution 224 to commend Atlanta United FC on their first MLS Cup win. This is their second season as a team. Atlanta United FC forward Josef Martinez was named MLS League MVP and broke the record for the most goals scored in a single season with 31. Atlanta United set the MLS record for single game, regular season attendance with 72,234 fans watching the team at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
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For Immediate Release:
March 1, 2019
Elisabeth Fletcher, Communications Specialist
elisabeth.fletcher@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028