NEW TEAM - ATLANTA BEAT

For all you budding soccer players out there WPS will have it's 9th team starting in the 2010 season.

Women’s Professional Soccer Commissioner Tonya Antonucci and Atlanta Team Owner Fitz Johnson today officially unveiled the Atlanta Beat as the ninth Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) franchise at a ceremony at downtown Atlanta’s Metro Chamber of Commerce with Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin in attendance. The Atlanta Beat join the Philadelphia Independence as expansion teams in WPS and will begin play in the 2010 WPS Season.

“We are excited and proud to add Atlanta as our ninth WPS franchise for 2010 and to have Fitz Johnson, who is such a passionate and dynamic businessman, as an owner in our growing league,” said WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci. “Atlanta is a soccer hotbed with its numerous youth leagues and tournaments, and the region has played host to some big time women’s soccer events over the years including the Olympics and WUSA championship games.”

The Atlanta Beat’s colors will be Ferrari Red and Gold and the team will be led by General Manager Shawn McGee, who was announced as the Beat’s GM by Fitz Johnson on Wednesday.

“We are thrilled to be bringing Women’s Professional Soccer to Atlanta for the 2010 season and are excited for this milestone announcement,” said Johnson. “As a team, we will feature the highest level of women’s soccer in the world and it is our goal to be entertaining, exciting and affordable for fans. We feel the new team name, the Atlanta Beat, embraces our city’s past support of a professional women’s soccer team. Our logo and colors are distinct and vibrant, representing the flavor of the warmth, and energy of this city. There is no question that a WPS franchise will diversify and add to Atlanta’s robust professional sports community.”

Atlanta entrepreneur T. Fitz Johnson, former CEO of Eagle Group International, LLC, leads the local WPS ownership group and is the team’s managing partner. A member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), Johnson holds an Advanced National Diploma from the organization and has extensive ties to soccer at the youth, collegiate, amateur and professional levels. Johnson is a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Army and Army Reserve, having earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Kentucky, College of Law. Prior to serving as CEO of Eagle Group International, he served as the organization’s Chief Counsel, V.P. for Human Resources, Executive Vice President, COO, and President.

McGee was previously an associate athletics director at SMU and spent 10 years with FC Dallas in Major League Soccer.

Atlanta's Professional Women's Soccer History

From 2001-2003, Atlanta was home to the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA) Atlanta Beat. The Beat were the only team in the WUSA to reach the playoffs every season and appeared in the League's Championship Game in 2001 and 2003.

Several scouts from all the teams including Atlanta and Philadelphia will be watching the Women's Euro 2009 championships in Finland looking for the next international stars to join the likes of Marta and Kelly Smith in the WPS. This is a great opportunity for the players to show what they are made of.