This past Saturday, Atlanta United allows fans back into the Mercedes Benz Stadium for the first time since February 2020. They welcomed us back with a 3-1 win against the Chicago Fire.
I have been to several games in the past with full capacity and was also able to go to the game on Saturday. I can easily say that the fans and players were both thrilled to have people back in the crowd even if only 50% of the stadium was able to be filled.
Restrictions were put in place to keep fans safe including requiring masks for all attendees above the age of two, doing mobile orders for food service, and by having many seats and areas blocked off to ensure social distancing protocols were met.
None of these restrictions seemed to dull the energy of the fans and the chants were just as loud as always.
When star player Josef Martinez was asked about the fans returning to the games, he answered;
I’m so happy.
Josef Martinez
As someone who is a huge crowd pleaser, it must have been an incredible feeling for Martinez to hear the crowd cheering his name once again for the first time in over a year.
As short as last season was, it was cut even shorter for Josef Martinez who suffered an injury in their first game of the 2020 season.
Overall, the experience of going back into the stadium and joining other fans was incredible and I cannot wait to see what the rest of the season will hold for Atlanta United.
A special thank you to all the healthcare workers who have made it possible for us to begin returning to sporting events!
THE WARRIOR WORD 