Although the Steam (along with the San Diego Seduction, Las Vegas Sin and Miami Caliente) were to be the four teams added to the LFL for its inaugural season in 2008, the league never played that season, and by the time the league did begin play in 2009, Atlanta was not among the teams.
LFL's Atlanta franchise originally began as the proposed St. Louis Saints.[1] The team name was selected by fans in a vote.[1] Team tryouts took place on June 24, 2012, at the Vetta Sports Club Soccerdome.[2] Among the people trying out was former soccer player and 2006 Atlantic 10 Conference Rookie of the Year and 2008 St. Louis University leading scorer Julia Brandenburg.[3] After negotiations to use the Family Arena fell through,[4] the LFL suspended the Saints indefinitely, and they were replaced by a new Atlanta team.[5] In its first game, the Steam was shut out by the Jacksonville Breeze, 48–0.[6]