Atlanta United planning to allow limited capacity crowds to Mercedes-Benz Stadium

In an email sent to season ticket holders Thursday, Atlanta United announced via president Darren Eales that the club intends to open Mercedes-Benz Stadium to a limited number of fans later this season, in accordance with guidance set by the Centers for Disease Control.

“When we are prepared to welcome supporters at Atlanta United matches again, we will be implementing CDC social distancing guidelines upon entry and in the seating bowl, which will initially result in a 10,000‐20,000 seat capacity inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium,” the letter states.

The email includes a survey to gauge demand in fan interest in attending at all, as well as if respondents would wish to upgrade their seats to suites at added cost.

The letter in full reads:

Dear 17s,

The MLS Is Back Tournament now is behind us, and while the results were disappointing, we return to Atlanta with renewed focus, strengthened resolve, and an acute awareness of the work ahead of us as we prepare for the remainder of the season.

Although we don’t have a definitive timeline yet, MLS teams are expected to begin hosting matches in their home markets after the tournament in Orlando concludes. As we continue to learn more about return-to-play, we want to share the information we have now and how it will impact our season ticket members.

Our supporters are the heartbeat of our club, so we are looking forward to one day being able to come back into Mercedes-Benz Stadium with the building at full capacity. However, what remains our top priority is the health and safety of our supporters, players, coaches and staff. When we are prepared to welcome supporters at Atlanta United matches again, we will be implementing CDC social distancing guidelines upon entry and in the seating bowl, which will initially result in a 10,000‐20,000 seat capacity inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

We are working diligently with healthcare experts, Major League Soccer and our Stadium partners to develop safety protocols at the highest level. Face coverings will be required, our pre-match activities will be reduced, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium will have procedures in place to encourage social distancing.

We understand that the pandemic has impacted our members in many ways, and we recognize that some members may not be ready to attend matches in-person this year. Rest assured, we are committed to allowing flexibility with regard to your decisions.

So that we can best understand the mindset of our members, please take this one-minute survey below. Based upon the survey results, we will be able to most fairly and safely accommodate our members who are interested in attending matches this season. Whether or not you elect to attend home matches during the 2020 season, your 2020 season ticket seat locations will be protected, and the same seats will be offered to you for renewal in 2021.

If you do not return the survey by Wednesday, July 29, we will assume that you are not interested in attending any matches during the 2020 season.

In the coming weeks, members who complete the survey indicating their desire to attend matches in 2020 will receive information on the seat selection process and additional health and safety guidelines for the 2020 season. We are appreciative of the tremendous support of our members during these unsettling times, and we remain committed to providing updates so that you are able to make the best decision for yourselves and your families.

Unite & Conquer,

Darren Eales

The letter comes on the heels from the Falcons’ similar announcement yesterday.

Penny for your thoughts.