From the time of the franchise’s birth in 2014, Atlanta United did little wrong. They created the right blueprint. They made smart front-office hires. They built an impressive training facility and implemented a player development system. They hired a renowned head coach and used him to lure young, talented players from overseas with the promise of personal development and competing at the highest levels.



In the frequent sports punching bag of Atlanta, the fledgling soccer team won games, scored goals and drew fans by the tons, tapping into the same millennial well that other pro sports have struggled to connect with.



A market correction seemed inevitable.



“It’s all been a bit of a sugar high for the first two years,” team president Darren Eales said.



So, the relative crash.



After making the playoffs in its first season and winning the MLS Cup in its second, Atlanta United is wobbling. Their pedestrian record sits at...