If you live in Atlanta, you’ve probably seen the Atlanta United FC crest all over town—on jerseys at Piedmont Park, flags flying in Midtown, and packed into Mercedes-Benz Stadium on match days. But who actually owns Atlanta United, and how does that ownership shape the club and the fan experience?
Here’s a clear, Atlanta-focused breakdown.
Atlanta United is owned by Arthur M. Blank, an Atlanta-based businessman best known as the co-founder of The Home Depot and the owner of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.
The team is operated through Blank’s organization, commonly known in sports conversations around the city as part of his larger family of businesses and philanthropic efforts based in Atlanta.
In simple terms:
Blank was awarded the MLS expansion franchise that became Atlanta United, and the club officially joined the league for the 2017 season.
For people who live in or visit Atlanta, the identity of the owner is more than just a trivia point. It affects:
Atlanta United plays at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, located at:
The stadium is also home to the Atlanta Falcons, which Arthur Blank owns. Because the same ownership group is behind both teams, Atlanta United benefits from:
This setup is one reason soccer in Atlanta feels so big-time so quickly—MLS fans share the same venue as NFL fans, right in the heart of the city.
Here’s a simple overview of Arthur Blank’s role in Atlanta’s sports landscape:
| Team / Facility | League / Type | Owner | Home in Atlanta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta United FC | MLS (soccer) | Arthur M. Blank | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
| Atlanta Falcons | NFL (football) | Arthur M. Blank | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
| Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Sports venue | Owned through Blank’s organization | Downtown Atlanta |
For an Atlanta resident or visitor, this means the same core leadership influences both major teams and the stadium experience.
If you’re trying to understand how ownership works specifically in Major League Soccer, it’s helpful to know that MLS is structurally different from some other leagues:
For fans in Atlanta, you’ll mostly experience this as:
Because Atlanta United shares ownership with the Falcons, the club benefits from:
If you’re attending a match from Buckhead, Decatur, East Point, or the suburbs, the stadium’s central location and transit connections (such as MARTA’s GWCC/CNN Center Station and Vine City Station) are the result of long-term planning around downtown sports and entertainment by the stadium’s ownership group.
Ownership also affects how closely a team connects with its city. In Atlanta, that looks like:
For many locals, Atlanta United has become a symbol of a modern, growing Atlanta, and that identity is heavily shaped by the direction set from the top.
If you’re in Atlanta and want to get closer to the team or stadium operations, here are some practical points.
Most fan-facing questions—tickets, parking, tours—go through stadium or team service channels, not the owner personally.
Typical needs include:
For the most accurate, up-to-date details, Atlantan fans usually check:
If you’re interested in how the club is run:
While fans don’t typically contact the owner directly, understanding who owns the club can help you make sense of:
For someone living in or visiting Atlanta, Georgia, here’s what you really need to know:
So when you see Atlanta United flags flying along Northside Drive or hear the chants echoing through downtown, you’ll know exactly who’s behind the club that helped make Atlanta one of the most passionate soccer cities in the country.
