“Most of us, that D.N.A. is not there for professional sports franchises,” Hertz said.

The Falcons have built a base of loyalists — the City Council president, Ceasar Mitchell, said he drove down to Miami for the Falcons’ last Super Bowl appearance despite not having a ticket — but so struggled to pack the Dome that home games were not shown on local television because of the N.F.L.’s old blackout rule.

The team’s middling history has also failed to entice the local residents and persuade the newcomers to come out. The arrival of the quarterback Michael Vick, in 2001, mirrored the city’s spirit at the time — ascending, vibrant and hip-hop forward — and his downfall, for his involvement in an interstate dogfighting ring, created tension, on a racial and cultural level, that lingered for years. Vick’s successor, Matt Ryan, is his antithesis in nearly every possible way — be it race, playing style, pedigree or personality.

“Some of our fans will always be proud that an African-American quarterback succeeded,” Hertz said. “What I think has happened over a period of time is a growing appreciation and acceptance in Matt Ryan, and that his style is every bit as spectacular on and off the field.”