Ten Years In. Just Getting Started.

Matchday.

The Atlanta United season begins today.

If you are reading this, your day probably already has a rhythm. Coffee. Group texts. Lineup predictions. A little nervous energy that only opening day can bring.

It felt right to send this today.

Because this is not just the start of a season. It is a statement of who we are in 2026.

Soccer Down Here started in January of 2017 as a daily live soccer show and podcast, the first of its kind in Atlanta and one of very few in the country. It has grown into the SDH Network, a platform that includes written features, regular video content, spectacular photography, the daily Morning Espresso newsletter, Pitching Soccer networking events, and much more.

This is our tenth season covering soccer in this city. Ten years of early mornings, late nights, road trips, high school fields, academy touchlines, college press boxes, and packed stadiums downtown. Ten years of building something piece by piece.

And as Atlanta steps into the most important era in its soccer history, we are clear about our responsibility.

Who we are and why we do this

All of us at SDH have gained so much from having the game in our lives. We have gained friendships, community, passion, human connection, and a greater understanding of the world around us. It matters to us to leave the game in a better place than we found it.

We believe covering the game is a responsibility.

Not a race for clicks.

Not a contest to be the loudest voice.

Not a business built on outrage.

We decide what matters and we treat it with care.

We believe context is more important than volume.

We believe integrity is more important than popularity.

We believe humanity is more important than hot takes.

Being cynical is easy. It gets applause. It fills timelines. It creates momentary spikes of attention.

It does not build anything.

Cynicism does not build community.

It does not grow the game.

It does not connect people.

Optimism is harder. It requires belief. It requires patience. It requires showing up even when it would be easier to roll your eyes and move on.

We choose optimism. Not blind optimism. Informed optimism. The belief that this sport, this city, and this community are worth investing in.

Access matters

We believe information should be accessible.

We are not building paywalls. We are not limiting access to the people who can afford a subscription. We are not putting the most important conversations behind locked doors.

If the goal is a more informed soccer community, then the information has to be available.

If the goal is a more connected soccer community, then the storytelling has to be shared.

We want the high school player in Gainesville, the academy parent in Cobb County, the college coach in Macon, and the season ticket holder in the supporter section to have access to the same conversation.

An informed community is a stronger community.

All levels of the game matter

We believe in all levels of the game.

It is why we were in Gainesville last night for one of the biggest high school matches of the season. Because that matters.

It is why we will carry Atlanta United 2 matches again this year on the SDH Network. Because development matters.

It is why we call academy matches. Why we cover WPSL games with the Georgia Impact. Why we show up at college matches across the state. Because the pipeline matters.

And it is why we will cover the build-out of the new Atlanta NWSL club with the same care, seriousness, and day-to-day attention that we brought to the launch of Atlanta United. From the first hires to the first signings to the first kickoff, that story deserves to be documented properly.

The game does not begin at Mercedes Benz Stadium. It does not begin when the anthem plays downtown. It begins on community fields, in youth leagues, in high school rivalries, in reserve sides, in college programs, and now in the foundations of a new professional women’s club taking shape.

We connect the dots from the grassroots to the Benz to the World Cup.

Not because it sounds good in a mission statement.

Not because it looks good on social media.

Because it is true.

How we approach conversation

Soccer conversations can get heated. That is part of the beauty of sport. Passion is real.

But we refuse to confuse passion with cruelty.

You can criticize without dehumanizing.

You can debate without disrespecting.

You can demand standards without losing civility.

Civility is not weakness.

Decency is not softness.

Treating people as human beings is not optional.

Every player. Every coach. Every referee. Every executive. Every supporter. Human beings first.

That standard applies to how we talk on air, how we write, how we engage, and how we represent this community.

Our mission in 2026

Atlanta is about to host the world. The women’s professional era is arriving. The expectations around this sport are rising quickly.

This moment deserves seriousness. It deserves care. It deserves leadership.

Our mission in 2026 is simple.

Cover the game with honor.

Cover it with integrity.

Focus on context over noise.

Keep it accessible.

Invest in every level of the sport.

Treat people with respect.

If we do those things consistently, we help create a more informed soccer community. A more connected soccer community. A healthier soccer culture.

Today is kickoff.

For Atlanta United.

For this season.

And for the next chapter of the SDH Network.

We are grateful to be here.

We are proud of what we have built.

And we are excited about what comes next.

Around the corner from everywhere,

Jason, Jon, Scott, Jarrett, Nick, Madison, Sofia, Drew, Vanessa