On the day he was honored for pledging $50 million to help U.S. Soccer build its first national training center with the complex now carrying his name, Atlanta United owner Arthur Blank on Monday said he would like MLS to consider more spending on rosters.
“That’s been the trend but I think it’s going to have to be that way even more so in the future,” he said. “You are competing for the best talent all over the world.”
Atlanta United has had among the highest payrolls in MLS since its inaugural 2017 season. The club has also set records for transfers in on players Thiago Almada, Pity Martinez (each for $15.9 million) and Ezequiel Barco ($13 million), and out with the sale of Miguel Almiron for at least $26 million to Newcastle.
Blank also said he wants to see Atlanta United win more matches and win more championships and that he’s confident it will happen.
The league’s salary budget this season is approximately $5.5 million on 18-20 senior slots. Teams can have as many as 30 players. There are also as many as three slots on the rosters that can be used to spend much more on acquiring and paying players.
Blank said the league is improving. When he first started considering purchasing a franchise, MLS was ranked No. 22 in the world. It moved to No. 15 in Opta’s rankings last season and up to No. 10 this season.
“You have to have the best players you got to compete with them (other leagues) and it’s a world market,” he said. “NFL is a little different because your world market is America, but in soccer the real market is globe. So you’ve got to be ready to compete. I think Major League Soccer continues to move in that direction.”
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Atlanta United’s 2024 schedule
Feb. 24 Columbus 1, Atlanta United 0
March 9 Atlanta United 4, New England 1
March 17 Atlanta United 2, Orlando 0
March 23 Toronto 2, Atlanta United 0
March 31 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 0
April 6 Atlanta United 1, NYCFC 1
April 14 vs. Philadelphia, 2:30 p.m., FOX
April 20 vs. Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
April 27 at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.
May 4 vs. Minnesota, 7:30 p.m.
May 11 vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
May 15 at Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
May 18 at Nashville, 1:30 p.m.
May 25 vs. LAFC, 7:30 p.m.
May 29 at Miami, 7:30 p.m.
June 2 vs Charlotte, 4:30 p.m., FOX
June 15 vs. Houston, 7:30 p.m.
June 19 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
June 22 at St. Louis, 8:30 p.m.
June 29 vs. Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
July 3 at New England, 7:30 p.m.
July 6 at Real Salt Lake, 9:30 p.m.
July 13 at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
July 17 vs. NYCFC, 7:30 p.m.
July 20 vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m.
July 26 vs. D.C. United in Leagues Cup, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 4 vs. Santos Laguna in Leagues Cup, 4 p.m.
Aug. 24 at L.A. Galaxy, 10:30 p.m.
Aug. 31 at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 14 vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 18 vs. Miami, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 21 at Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 28 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 2 vs. Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 5 vs. Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 19 at Orlando, 6 p.m.
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