With the FIFA World Cup bringing hundreds of thousands to the city of Atlanta this summer, soccer is dominating the city’s sports culture, and establishing Atlanta as even more of an international hub.
Thirty years ago, Atlanta also hosted one of the grandest sporting events in the city’s history: the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. Back then, it seemed that Atlanta was was striving to prove it belonged on the global stage, and soccer was an afterthought. Today, Atlanta United consistently breaks Major League Soccer attendance records.
How do these events compare these many decades apart when it comes to fandom, overall electricity and economic inclusion?
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