Any chance for a pro team (Houston, Dallas: sales, universities, income)

[jifie]

Sorry if I'm overstepping any boundaries by constantly asking questions about Austin, even though I don't live there, but I do have one more for now if you would humor me.

Pretty much like the title says, anyone think ere is any chance in Austin getting a pro team? I have a feeling there are three trains of thought here, one would likely be about UT being so well established and so popular that a pro team might not do so well in the area. The second one, which I would like any input on, is the culture of the city kind of spurns the status quo, and is such a unique "weird" city that the population wouldn't even want a pro team in town. The third maybe about San Antonio being so close and they already have a pro bball team and they would likely get a pro team before Austin.

I think the last one would be a more likely scenario, due to the proximity, Austin would definitely have to compete with SA for any pro team spots. As for UT being so big and established, I see hope there when you compare Columbus, OH. I know, two completely different cultures in two completly different parts of the country, but there are very big similarities there with the size of the cities and the universities they each hold, and while hockey hasn't done too well there, soccer was really able to take off.

So what do my CD Austinites think about this?

[Trainwreck20]

Are you talking football, I guess? My gut reaction is that very few people (me included) want to spend the money to bring a team here. The way it currently works, a city has to kick in millions and millions to build a stadium to 'attract' a team. That aside, I don't hear many people say that they want or would go to a pro sporting event. Round Rock Express does pretty well, but other than that......

[jr1038]

Demographically speaking Austin could absolutely support a pro team, possibly two. Bell County could reasonably be lumped in with the Austin MSA in terms of market size so you're talking an area of over 2 million people that will likely grow by another 500,000 by 2020.

I used to believe that major league sports would never come to Austin because most wealthy and powerful Austinites seem to support the status quo, and as Trainwreck says few might be willing to spend the money to bring in a team. The way F1 has unfolded has changed my perspective a bit, but I still think it's a slim chance for Austin.

The NBA and NFL could both work in Austin, but the former won't happen because of the Spurs and the latter is unlikely because of Longhorn loyalty and the Cowboys. That leaves MLB, MLS, and NHL, and of those three MLS might be the best fit as you suggest.

[someguyatx]

The city is bringing in F1 racing, that is the pro sport coming to town. If you are talking about football then yes SA is the next TX city lobbying for a team. If you remember they tried to get the Saints to stay after hurricane Katrina. I dont even think Austin could support pro football. Many people come in from out of town for Texas football, alumni fly in and the opponent brings a crowd. Why would they come here from Houston, Dallas, or out of state when they already have pro team in their own city?

[hoffdano]

I don't think UT per se stops Austin from having a pro sports team. But being three hours away from the Cowboys, Texans, Rockets, Astros, Rangers, and Spurs will make it difficult economically for a big league team to make it here.

There is only one facility in Austin big enough for pro sports - DKR stadium. No big baseball field and the Erwin center is probably too small for the NBA.

And I must be honest - I would vote against any taxpayer funding for a pro sports stadium.

State economic assistance for the F1 track is on a different (smaller) scale than the usual multi-hundred million $$ programs for big league sports.

[bgrn198]

Originally Posted by someguyatx

The city is bringing in F1 racing, that is the pro sport coming to town. If you are talking about football then yes SA is the next TX city lobbying for a team. If you remember they tried to get the Saints to stay after hurricane Katrina. I dont even think Austin could support pro football. Many people come in from out of town for Texas football, alumni fly in and the opponent brings a crowd. Why would they come here from Houston, Dallas, or out of state when they already have pro team in their own city?

The Florida Marlins looked at moving to San Antonio too a few years ago when they were trying to get a new stadium built in Florida.

[spelrod]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

But being three hours away from the Mavericks, Stars, Cowboys, Texans, Rockets, Astros, Rangers, and Spurs will make it difficult economically for a big league team to make it here.

Forgot a couple of teams. This is the reason I don't think we need a pro sports team, we have enough of them around us that it seems no one pays attention to here as it is. Maybe if we had a soccer team but didn't we have a team that just left recently?

[jifie]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Are you talking football, I guess? My gut reaction is that very few people (me included) want to spend the money to bring a team here. The way it currently works, a city has to kick in millions and millions to build a stadium to 'attract' a team. That aside, I don't hear many people say that they want or would go to a pro sporting event. Round Rock Express does pretty well, but other than that......

I certainly wouldn't think Austin could support football. I'm not much of a football fan personally, I was looking more along he lines of sports that do well in smaller markets such as basketball(obviously no with the spurs), hockey o soccer. I know the minor league soccer team just left, so there doesn't appear to be much interest in that. Hockey in general doesn't dowel in TX and Houston would probably be next in line. How well does the express do? Does Dell Diamond fill up most nights?

I've also wondered why someone doesn't try and make a team a "central Texas" team, put it somewhere near San Marcos and you'd have fans from both Austin and SA able to attend regularly...it's worked with New England, with foxboro being well outside Boston and still setting great attendance numbers. I feel like the central Texas steermen(or something like that) baseball or football team would be a hit.

I understand all the sports teams being about three hours away, but if the market and people are there, it shouldn't matter. Just look at all the other cities, much closer than three hours that can still support pro teams, Baltimore/DC, Pittsburgh/Cleveland, San Fransisco/Oakland, Milwaukee/Chicago, LA, NYC, just to name a few. I know it would be a lot of teams in TX, but with the second highest population, and all the teams CA has, TX should also be afforded its share of pro teams if they can support it.

[jifie]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

I don't think UT per se stops Austin from having a pro sports team. But being three hours away from the Cowboys, Texans, Rockets, Astros, Rangers, and Spurs will make it difficult economically for a big league team to make it here.

There is only one facility in Austin big enough for pro sports - DKR stadium. No big baseball field and the Erwin center is probably too small for the NBA.

And I must be honest - I would vote against any taxpayer funding for a pro sports stadium.

State economic assistance for the F1 track is on a different (smaller) scale than the usual multi-hundred million $$ programs for big league sports.

Probably a stupid question, but with here being no income tax in TX, where do they increase taxes to generation revenue for such things like the F1 track? property taxes, sales taxes?

[TexasHorseLady]

Or, you know, want it. Which could be the bottom line - it's just not important enough to us to want to pay all that for it when we've already got relatively easy access for anyone who is interested in it.

Not every community has to have absolutely everything that anyone could want right there in town, after all.

I think F1, not being the same old same old professional sport, really fits in with the Austin personae better than a pro football team, etc. A professional soccer team would likely be the next closest thing to a fit.

Are you planning on moving to Austin and this is a big priority for you?