Sports in Austin

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

With Kyle exploding to 100,000 in the next 20 years, do y'all think the center of population will edge south? Or will Williamson County keep growing enough to keep pulling it northward?

It'll probably just stay in the current whereabouts, since all of the suburbs (north and south) are booming.

[IluvATX]

An MLS stadium downtown seems kind of tacky. The domain would be a better fit in my mind.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by IluvATX

An MLS stadium downtown seems kind of tacky. The domain would be a better fit in my mind.

Just curious, why does an MLS stadium downtown seem tacky to you?

[smith_atx]

I think an MLS stadium around downtown would be awesome if they also built it with other events in mind. Maybe a retractable roof stadium would be expensive but would also allow for many other types of events.

[Novacek]

Another potential option (on a longer timeline):

Stadium on the red line in the Robinson Ranch area. It has the advantage of a large parcel with a single owner, rather than in the NorthBurnet/Gateway where everything is already subdivided among hundreds of owners and most of it already has legacy uses(even if some are low density).

It also has the advantage that the red line actually exists and is running, unlike the Green line that has RoW, but no operating track.

Further out from downtown, but with all the northern suburbs growing tremendously, it's not in the middle of nowhere.

Edit: Also another (potential) advantage. It's in Williamson, not Travis, and WC might be more willing to subsidize sports directly. Or they might(I haven't checked) have more headroom in their hotel tax limit.

[The ATX]

USL at COTA in 2019:

http://www.statesman.com/sports/breaking...9-000-seat-venue/6sBCjNXuGInuLgesJzpeTJ/

[drummer]

Originally Posted by The ATX

USL at COTA in 2019:

http://www.statesman.com/sports/breaking...9-000-seat-venue/6sBCjNXuGInuLgesJzpeTJ/

I saw that also and came here to share it - you beat me to it!

My question is whether the 5,000 seats will be permanent or temporary during the season. Just curious given where the field will be placed just to the NW of the amphitheater.

Here is another article on it:
http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/821487?referrer_id=2333971

[smith_atx]

Originally Posted by drummer

I saw that also and came here to share it - you beat me to it!

My question is whether the 5,000 seats will be permanent or temporary during the season. Just curious given where the field will be placed just to the NW of the amphitheater.

Here is another article on it:
http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/821487?referrer_id=2333971

I hope the area is available during F1. There's a lot going on in that space during that weekend.

[atxsnail]

Originally Posted by drummer

I saw that also and came here to share it - you beat me to it!

My question is whether the 5,000 seats will be permanent or temporary during the season. Just curious given where the field will be placed just to the NW of the amphitheater.

Here is another article on it:
http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/821487?referrer_id=2333971

based on prior statements from the USL ownership group, they could be planning on making this a permanent facility that would one day host the training grounds for an MLS franchise. given that the FCB escola has already set up shop it seems like a decent investment either way.

they certainly don't appear to be planning to spend much to build the initial stadium. compare this render to other USL facilities such as HEB Park in the valley or Toyota Field in San Antonio and it definitely falls short. however it would make sense that they would not spend a lot if this field is not to be the final home of a future MLS team.

[jbssfelix]

Originally Posted by The ATX

USL at COTA in 2019:

http://www.statesman.com/sports/breaking...9-000-seat-venue/6sBCjNXuGInuLgesJzpeTJ/

Ultimately happy that we have a program and a venue again, but kind of bummed that it's out at COTA in BFE.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by drummer

My question is whether the 5,000 seats will be permanent or temporary during the season.

The statesman story had a quote (I can't access it at the moment) to the effect that they "already had seats", so it sounds like they'd be moving them back and forth.

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by jbssfelix

Ultimately happy that we have a program and a venue again, but kind of bummed that it's out at COTA in BFE.

COTA is a logical choice and it's actually not that hard to get to. No doubt it's easy for us south of the river but it's really not that far from DT.

[drummer]

As Appetite for Soccer in U.S. Grows, So Does M.L.S.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/08/sports/soccer/mls-expansion-nashville-cincinnati.html

I'm ready for Austin to be a part of this discussion in the future...

[clubtokyo]

Originally Posted by drummer

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/08/sports/soccer/mls-expansion-nashville-cincinnati.html

I'm ready for Austin to be a part of this discussion in the future...

I agree, blows my mind how a city our size can not get a professional team.... I guess no one with Money in Austin is interested....

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by clubtokyo

I agree, blows my mind how a city our size can not get a professional team.... I guess no one with Money in Austin is interested....

You make a good point. I've said this before but I think Austin is a unique city in that the demand for local traditional pro sports teams isn't there. We've been a "college town" for so long, native Austinites tend to focus more on UT sports, plus their pro sports allegiance is usually to Houston, Dallas and San Antonio teams. Of course Austin is much more than it was, but most newcomers have a favorite team that they root for and they aren't going to just switch over. I also think companies in the Austin area are not interested with putting in the recorces to sponser a pro team. I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing and I'm not saying that it won't change in the future either. Austin is more of a non-traditional city when it comes to sports. We like things like Disc golf, roller derbie, lots of "extreme sports" ect... I haven't heard of any updates with pro Rugby but if it happens I think that it will be pretty popular. We have COTA and racing and because of it the local population has gotten much more interested in it compared to when COTA first opened. There are a lot of niche sports that Austin is poised to be a pioneer city in terms of these types of sports becoming popular nationally. Soccer will be no exception.

There is a long term build out plan for COTA. The track only accounts for a part of the total acreage. There were rumors a few years back that there could be a major soccer stadium built in the future. This could be the first stage in what they ultimately want to do at COTA.


One thing I'm surprised about given that they have more land is why the soccer field is so close to the Amphitheater? It seems to me that they are reducing the size of the venue. I haven't been to a concert yet there but I've always thought that the grassy area gets filled up with people for larger concerts.

[smith_atx]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

One thing I'm surprised about given that they have more land is why the soccer field is so close to the Amphitheater? It seems to me that they are reducing the size of the venue. I haven't been to a concert yet there but I've always thought that the grassy area gets filled up with people for larger concerts.

I think it will just depend on how they build it. There are two grass areas and they are separated by a wall. See here.

[We vs us]

http://www.mystatesman.com/sports/footba...uctional-league-might-huddle-austin.html

Pro football instructional league might huddle up in Austin

The Spring League provides a three-week job interview for free agents — some call it Camp Last Chance — that is part-NBA Summer League, part-NFL mini-combine. Players are divided into four teams, all based in one location. They won’t just practice, they will compete in regular games, three each for every team. Tickets for the contests will be sold, Woods said, priced at minor-league levels.

“Austin is our front-runner,” Woods told the American-Statesman. “We’re considering five or six cities and looking for a multi-year deal, but Austin is clearly attractive to us for a number of reasons. You’ve got a strong football market, proximity to a good airport and ideal April weather in Texas.”

Most interesting thing about this is that they're looking at COTA to be their home.

[electricron]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

One thing I'm surprised about given that they have more land is why the soccer field is so close to the Amphitheater? It seems to me that they are reducing the size of the venue. I haven't been to a concert yet there but I've always thought that the grassy area gets filled up with people for larger concerts.

Those grassy areas are much too far away from the stage to be of any value to concertgoers.

The simple reason why building facilities closer to one another is that higher density is great when you have to provide services. Water and sewer lines, communications lines, and parking facilities can be shared between these facilities when they are placed close to each other, ulimqately lowering the costs of providing them.
The amphitheater requires water to keep its grounds green - so will the soccer pitch. Why build another pumping station for the sprinkler system when they can share the existing pump? Why build another septic system when they can share the existing one? Why build another warehouse for storage when you can share the existing one?

There's many reasons for building facilities close to each other - but the main reason is to lower costs.

[drummer]

I'm happy about a field out there for now, but if we were to ever get an MLS team, I'd wish for a stadium to be closer to downtown or the Domain even. My only fear of this happening now is that it would seal the fate (maybe that's coming off a bit strong, but yeah) for a stadium to move beyond the COTA area.

[brando]

Originally Posted by drummer

I'm happy about a field out there for now, but if we were to ever get an MLS team, I'd wish for a stadium to be closer to downtown or the Domain even. My only fear of this happening now is that it would seal the fate (maybe that's coming off a bit strong, but yeah) for a stadium to move beyond the COTA area.

It's better than nothing.