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Old 12-06-2013, 07:47 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
51 posts, read 96,329 times
Reputation: 49

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On of the more popular topics in forums such as C-D have been discussions on cities without team representation in the top pro spectator sports (i.e. NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS) getting a franchise.

Here is the latest of interest to Austin-ites.

Garber identifies Miami and Atlanta as leading expansion contenders - SOCCER - Sporting News

What do you think? Do you think the MLS commissioner Don Garber's comments on Austin (and San Antonio) will prompt city leaders to look to make an investment in soccer -- principally to consider a Soccer Specific Stadium for the community, perhaps somehow utilize UT's Mike Myers Stadium (temporarily at best) or build anew?

And what about the prospect of teams placed in Austin and San Antonio? I've wondered if a regional team based in San Marcos would draw crowds from both cities? Garber states he prefers a stadium built specifically for soccer within the core of a city.
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Old 12-06-2013, 08:19 AM
 
782 posts, read 1,109,771 times
Reputation: 1017
I think it would be a good success here honestly. Youth soccer has a strong and healthy pressence in the city, there is a huge soccer fan base in the city. For instance, Arsenal FC (an English professional team) has a supporter's group that pulls 70-100 in attendence every weekend to watch matches at the Tavern, and for larger matches averages 130-150, and has had as many as 200 in the past. This makes this one of the largest supporter groups in the US, right here in Austin. There are smaller, but still significant supporters groups of Liverpool, Chelsea, Man United as well as large groups of Barca and Real fans.

The MLS has relied upon youth soccer as a pull in other cities (Houston for example), and I think having a professional pressence would be able to capitalize on these existing soccer fan bases as well to help build a strong core of followers.
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Old 12-06-2013, 08:48 AM
gdu
 
Location: Austin, Texas
256 posts, read 702,282 times
Reputation: 74
I would love for it to happen, but just don't see it. Austin is still a UT town more than a pro sports town. That being said, I love soccer and would love for a team to come. My wife, kiddo and parents have only missed a couple of Austin Aztex games in the past 2 years and have been following Austin pro and semi-pro soccer for a long time (lightning, socadillos, etc...)

We follow the EPL and international scene much more but that is in part due to access. We have tried to follow FC Dallas but the games are seldom on tv. Hard to get into a league when you can only watch 10% of your local teams games.
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Old 12-06-2013, 09:02 AM
 
Location: Avery Ranch, Austin, TX
8,977 posts, read 17,637,712 times
Reputation: 4001
It's interesting how participation rates and spectator turn-out don't necessarily go hand-in-hand. For example, Atlanta has the largest local tennis league in the universe...~80,000 members(NOT a typo); yet many pro tennis events were not successes from an attendance standpoint. It was hit or miss for the 30 years I was there, with events like the Davis Cup drawing very well; but pro events like the ATT Classic and others having trouble finding an audience.

A soccer-only stadium built in the core of the city??? Nah!
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Old 12-06-2013, 09:30 AM
787
 
171 posts, read 256,328 times
Reputation: 98
Build it along the light rail line either south or east along riverside, and make it small, like Jeld-Wen field in Portland - it only holds 20,000 people.
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Old 12-06-2013, 11:03 AM
 
44 posts, read 45,578 times
Reputation: 32
Quote:
Originally Posted by 787 View Post
Build it along the light rail line either south or east along riverside, and make it small, like Jeld-Wen field in Portland - it only holds 20,000 people.
Jeld-Wen is very tastefully placed in downtown Portland. You can almost walk right by and miss it as its set back from the street. I agree E.Riverside would be a good area. if it were to happen. That whole part of town is going to blow up in the next 10-20 yrs.
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Old 12-06-2013, 03:35 PM
 
Location: Avery Ranch, Austin, TX
8,977 posts, read 17,637,712 times
Reputation: 4001
Quote:
Originally Posted by 787 View Post
Build it along the light rail line either south or east along riverside, and make it small, like Jeld-Wen field in Portland - it only holds 20,000 people.
Yeah...near the light rail line. Now, where was that again?
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Old 12-06-2013, 06:07 PM
 
Location: The People's Republic of Austin
5,184 posts, read 7,307,921 times
Reputation: 2575
1. Were the team to start tomorrow, it would be in the smallest metro area of any MLS team. By 2020, might change, but not dramatically.

2. There is a reason a summer season sport has 80% of its teams in cooler climates.

3. What political entity in the area will float the $95,000,000 bond issue to build a stadium?
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Old 12-06-2013, 07:59 PM
 
Location: Austin,Tx
1,697 posts, read 3,637,161 times
Reputation: 711
San Antonio already has a Stadium so i'll bet they get a team before Austin.

Toyota Field - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Old 03-11-2014, 09:36 PM
 
34 posts, read 66,719 times
Reputation: 17
Bump, Looks like the City is at least looking into the possibility of an MLS Franchise in Austin, Go Aztex.
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