In July 1994, the American Professional Soccer League announced it had accepted the Atlanta Magic, owned by Sam Chase, as a new franchise for the 1995 season.

[2] Despite this decision, several Magic players moved to the Ruckus, including Bill Andracki, Chris Hellenkamp, Brian Moore and Mo Suri.

Six weeks before the 1995 season, Chase experienced financial difficulties and failed to post the required $100,000 letter of credit with the league by the March 1 deadline.

The league nearly revoked the franchise, but, South African businessman Johnny Imerman quickly stepped in and bought the team.

[3] The Ruckus, under former U.S. national team coach Lothar Osiander, began its competitive existence on May 5, 1995, when it defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps in the first game of the newly renamed A-League.

At the time Umbro had a promotional contract with the A-League and it contacted a local Atlanta law firm, Alston & Bird, about the possibility of litigation against the league and Lu.

In January 2000, David Cormack joined Latham and Glustrom as owners of the Silverbacks, but left in September to become the Chief Executive of Aberdeen F.C.

In November 2009, the Silverbacks announced their intent to leave the USL First Division to become the co-founders of a new North American Soccer League, which would begin play in 2010.

On May 22, 2012, the Atlanta Silverbacks created controversy when they became the first team to sell the rights to host a 2012 U.S. Open Cup match to Seattle Sounders FC.

Under the leadership of Haynes and Wynalda, the team enjoyed a remarkable turnaround and captured the 2013 NASL Spring season title, thus earning the right to host the 2013 Soccer Bowl, which the Silverbacks lost 1–0 to the New York Cosmos.

[12] At the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the Silverbacks defeated MLS teams Real Salt Lake and Colorado Rapids to reach quarterfinals, where they lost to Chicago Fire.

On December 2, 2014, the NASL licensed the Silverbacks name from Boris Jerkunica and Henry Hardin and continued to operate the team through the 2015 season.

[16][17] In January 2019, the club announced that it had parted ways with Jerkunica, and consequently lost the right to use the Silverbacks name, choosing to be known as Atlanta SC.