West Ham United Activates in Atlanta Ahead of Premier League Summer Series 2025.

Roger Hampel

Photo Credit: West Ham United

As part of its pre-event campaign for the Premier League Summer Series 2025, West Ham United has launched a high-impact fan engagement activation in Atlanta, marking exactly 120 days before the Hammers face AFC Bournemouth at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The initiative included on-the-ground events, media content, and strategic brand visibility across the city — solidifying the club’s presence in one of the most important football markets in the United States.

Strategic Market Activation in the Lead-Up to U.S. Tour

This marks a deliberate move in West Ham’s international brand expansion, targeting a region with a rapidly growing football fan base, led by Atlanta United’s MLS presence and consistently strong matchday attendances.

To commemorate the 120-day milestone, club ambassador Carlton Cole, along with mascot Hammerhead, visited iconic Atlanta landmarks and challenged fans to score 120 goals across the city, turning public spaces into pop-up brand engagement zones.

Locations included:

Mercedes-Benz Stadium, host of the August fixture
Peachtree Street
Centennial Olympic Park
Fox Theatre

This campaign, aimed at creating local buzz and online engagement, also included merchandise giveaways (scarves, hats, and flags), helping to place West Ham’s claret and blue colours in key public areas ahead of the tour.

Connecting With Local Football Ecosystem West Ham United Atlanta

Beyond fan-facing activations, West Ham used the visit to strengthen connections within the Atlanta football ecosystem. Cole visited Atlanta United’s training centre, reconnecting with former teammate and current Head of International Recruitment Jonathan Spector, as well as Ronny Deila and Xande Silva, further reinforcing long-term ties between Premier League and MLS organizations.

This type of cross-club engagement mirrors broader trends in football globalization, where pre-season tours and one-off matches are leveraged not only for commercial revenue but for institutional relationship-building.

Leveraging the Summer Series as a Commercial Platform

The Premier League Summer Series 2025 features West Ham, Bournemouth, Manchester United, and Everton in a round-robin format across U.S. cities including New Jersey, Chicago, and Atlanta. These matches are positioned not just as pre-season warm-ups but as strategic market activations tied to:

Ticketing and merchandise sales
Sponsor activations
Localized media content
Supporter club growth

In Atlanta specifically, the club has aligned with the Atlanta Ironworks Supporters’ Group, joining their matchday gathering at The Brewhouse Café and participating in the tailgate at Atlanta United’s fixture against FC Dallas.

Market Context: Why Atlanta?

Atlanta has become a centerpiece for football in the U.S., with:

Record MLS attendances
A growing expatriate and international fan community
A large, modern stadium infrastructure that aligns with Premier League branding standards

For West Ham United, visibility in this market supports both commercial objectives and long-term fan base development, particularly in a region where Premier League interest continues to grow year over year.