Photo illustration by Anthony Mendolia
The Faction
Habitat: They’ll be haunting the seats just behind the home bench at both stadiums (Section 110 at Bobby Dodd, and Section 132 at the forthcoming Mercedes-Benz Stadium).
Visual Identification: A great number of Faction members are parents and kids, with parents sporting Faction-branded black wristbands and captain’s armbands, and the kids proudly wearing (temporary) face tattoos.
Defining Characteristics: The Faction’s proud of their fundraising for Fugees Family, an Atlanta-area non-profit that works with refugees, especially children who have survived war. If Faction members wave flags, it’s as likely to be for the Fugees Academy as it is for Atlanta United.
Songs and Calls: Like Rapids fans before them, they’ve adopted John Denver’s “Take Me Home Country Roads,” but they’ve put their own Georgia spin on it with “Peachtree Roads.”
Footie Mob
Habitat: They’ll be in Section 119 at Bobby Dodd, in the corner by the tunnel, before taking their place alongside the other SGs at the Benz.
Visual Identification: Their merchandise is emblazoned with a font just as home on a 1970s funk or disco album as on a scarf, and their gear includes the acronym “f.i.l.a.” (which stands for “Forever I Love Atlanta”).
Defining Characteristics: They claim to be all about Southern hospitality, and love Atlanta music as much as they love soccer.
Songs and Calls: This is where Footie Mob truly shines. SGsYoungBloodZ’s “Damn” is tailor-made for a chant, with its “Don’t start no stuff, won’t be no stuff” line, and Outkast’s “Hootie Hoo” is fun, made soccer appropriate by changing a key line to, “Attacking all days, scoring always.” And it’s not just hip-hop in which they deal. They’ve transformed R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” to instead concern corner kicks.
Resurgence
Habitat: At Bobby Dodd, they’ll be in Sections 115 through 117, and at the Benz, they’ll be in Sections 101 and 102 with the rest of the supporters.
Visual Identification: In addition to red and black, Resurgence take a d.i.y. approach to fandom, with a logo they encourage members to use and appropriate on whatever clothing it works on.
Defining Characteristics: They embody a punk-rock aesthetic, but they’re also team players when it comes to being part of a larger, cohesive whole.
Songs and Calls: “We Are the A” is their early contribution to the Atlanta United chant catalog.
Terminus Legion
Habitat: While there will be a midseason migration to the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, they know they’ll start the season in Section 117 of Bobby Dodd Stadium, in its north end.
Visual Identification: As the original supporters’ group for Atlanta United, the team has long been producing black, red, and gold items, including a series of limited-edition scarves leading up to new ones for the inaugural season.
Defining Characteristics: Aside from their size — being the largest of the Atlanta supporters’ groups — they preach a “passionate but peaceful” approach to fandom which will start with tailgating and a march to the match.
Songs and Calls: They’ve developed a number of chants to date, and are leaning toward “Kings of the South,” “We Hold It Down,” and “We Love Atlanta.”
