Owner says women's soccer can thrive in ATL - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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Johnson, the owner of the yet-to-be-namecd Atlanta Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) franchise, appeared at the news conference on Thursda y with the messagethat “it’s been too since the city has had a women’z pro team. Johnson, who made his money when the companyh hisfather founded, , was sold to Lockheed Martin in May, is a licensed soccer coacyh and talked about bringing his children to games of the formedr women’s pro league franchise here, the Atlanta Beat of the WUSA. In Septembee 2003 the league ceased its operations aftetthree seasons. Taking part in the press conference was a former membee ofthe Beat, Leslie Gaston.
Gaston said the new leaguew would succeed because it has theright model. Asked how the model differed, Johnson citerd a variety of factors. For one, the Beat playec in stadiums thatwere ill-suited for such a league, namelyu Morris Brown’s Herndon Stadium and ’s oversized Bobbyu Dodd Stadium – where then football coac George O’Leary famously complained of the soccer team’s tearinvg up the field. Johnso said his team will play ina soccer-specific stadium with a seating capacity of about 6,000 or 7,000, but would only say the team is evaluatingf options as to a location. The likelihood appeard that it will play at a stadium to be builtat .
Johnson also citer the fact that the WUSA wasa single-entity leagure – a large corporate backer was Cox -- whilr this one has individual franchis owners. “It’s not about makingv money for me,” Johnson “It’s about adding [a pro team] to the I’m not trying to make money, but I don’rt want to throw away money.” The league, which will begin play in Apri withseven teams, will have a salarhy cap, the amount of which Johnson said has yet to be Atlanta will be one of three teams to begin play in 2010. With a few Johnson appears intenton re-creating the leagure whose games he enjoyed attending so much five years ago.
He said the team will have a contesty to name it and choice that will be includef will bethe Beat. “The former league was closeer to continuing than mostpeoplw think,” he said. “They just got off to a very rocku start.”