AUSTIN | Misc. Discussions - No Politics

[chinchaaa]

Originally Posted by zx14

This was not a joke. Austin has nothing to do that most big cities have. Live music capitol of the world. That is something that was made by Austin not a real title. There are many cities in the US that have more live music on any given night. Austin has some creditable Movie credentials and does very well for musicians. But it is not Nashville and not even close. When I drive over the down the hill on 75 and see Cincy the skyline with the two stadiums that seems like a much bigger city than Austin. They have world class Sports entertainment and so much more to do than Austin. Now Austin is bigger than Cleveland metro. Has anyone been there? No Austin is not a huge city but is an overgrown expensive suburb of Dallas Houston And San Antonio. It has a melting pot of people living in it from all around the Country. But it really does not have an Identity of its own and never will as a huge city because it is surrounded by more established ones. It is not really a part of Texas but is a bubble of its own. Sports teams are how large cities are identified in this country. That is just the way it is. But Austin has no interest in one. Austin is the largest city in the World that does not have a major sports team. Most international cities all over the world have Major Soccer Teams in their own or what ever sport is popular in that region. Soccer is not a major sport in this country and nobody outside of Austin cares about Austin FC. So there is only one place in the US that Austin is like to some degree. Austin is the Inland Empire East. A suburb of LA sort of LOL.

we ain't reading all this but sorry that some from austin has obviously hurt you in the past

[ATX2030]

I can't think of any city in the US that is considered "major" that doesn't have at least one of the "big four" pro teams. Wait, I have one, Austin!

[drummer]

Name the primary pro sports team in Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Singapore, Mumbai, Dubai, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires....

Let's make it interesting: name the primary sports teams Munich, Amsterdam, London, Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Milan, etc...

The second list ought to be easier than the first. However, I can guarantee you that if you ask a hundred people what comes to their minds when they think about these cities, a large percentage of them will say something other than their sports teams.

Austin isn't yet in the same league as these or NYC, Chicago, LA, etc., but it's making strides. But we're not here for city vs. city anyway. Let us enjoy the growth and talk about the could've-beens, ought-to-have-beens, and could-be's....

Feel free to add to the conversation without griping and moaning about sports teams.

And Go Austin FC!

[Tyrone Shoes]

Originally Posted by ATX2030

I can't think of any city in the US that is considered "major" that doesn't have at least one of the "big four" pro teams. Wait, I have one, Austin!

Believe me I want BIG LEAGUE BASEBALL in Austin so bad I can taste it BUT it'll never happen none will happen if the citizens are given the chance to vote on a stadium. The only reason Austin has MLS is we were given a stadium and the silly council will never allow it. Buy the homeless a hotel, give themselves a forty percent raise but never build a stadium...football, basketball or baseball.
I can see a stadium built out at COTA

[ATX2030]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoes

Believe me I want BIG LEAGUE BASEBALL in Austin so bad I can taste it BUT it'll never happen none will happen if the citizens are given the chance to vote on a stadium. The only reason Austin has MLS is we were given a stadium and the silly council will never allow it. Buy the homeless a hotel, give themselves a forty percent raise but never build a stadium...football, basketball or baseball.
I can see a stadium built out at COTA

Right! A city we're constantly compared to is Nashville. They're pushing hard for a MLB franchise and will probably get it. That would give them three out of four "BIGS" plus a MLS franchise. And they have a pretty decent music scene as well. Their DT is always packed and vibrant when compared to ours.

[lonewolf]

Originally Posted by ATX2030

I can't think of any city in the US that is considered "major" that doesn't have at least one of the "big four" pro teams. Wait, I have one, Austin!

I see us becoming "major" within 10 years but wouldn't say we are there yet. Metro size is a better indicator of "major city" than population within city limits

What is up with the anti sports sentiment on this site?

Sports outsize film industry as the number 1 advertisement your city can have. If you have two big 4 teams your city will get year round exposure to millions of people all over the world. Many people care. It's a really big deal. This site pretends that it's a silly niche.

[Novacek]

Vegas didn't have a big 4 team until 2017. Was Vegas not a "major city" before then? Had a bunch of people never heard of Vegas until they started seeing the knights play?

sure, I wouldn't turn down another team if one became available. I'd probably even be willing to give them a similar sort of tax exemption setup as AFC. But it's certainly not a requirement or the only path to being important.

[ATX2030]

Originally Posted by Novacek

Vegas didn't have a big 4 team until 2017. Was Vegas not a "major city" before then? Had a bunch of people never heard of Vegas until they started seeing the knights play?

sure, I wouldn't turn down another team if one became available. I'd probably even be willing to give them a similar sort of tax exemption setup as AFC. But it's certainly not a requirement or the only path to being important.

Really. You're gonna use Vegas, the gambling capital of the world, as an example. Simple fact is Austin lacks pro sports while every other major city has them. That's all I'm saying. And no UT is not "our " pro team and minor league teams don't count either. MLS is great but Austin needs BIG four pro teams as well as museums, a zoo/aquarium and other attractions that major cities have. Until that happens, in my opinion, ATX is lacking when compared to major cities in the US.

[lonewolf]

Originally Posted by Novacek

Vegas didn't have a big 4 team until 2017. Was Vegas not a "major city" before then? Had a bunch of people never heard of Vegas until they started seeing the knights play?

sure, I wouldn't turn down another team if one became available. I'd probably even be willing to give them a similar sort of tax exemption setup as AFC. But it's certainly not a requirement or the only path to being important.

I would not call Vegas a "major city" and I think the reasons for its outsized reputation are obvious. I actually think it may be behind austin in "major cityishness"

a big 4(tbh it's just big 3) is not needed to become a major city, it's just evidence that you are one. RE exemptions are probably all the breaks these sports orgs are going to see going forward. It's now well known that the product is so well refined every club runs a model that generates a net profit even in the worst of years.

I like the fact we don't have an NFL team and mildly hope we don't get one. Despite being the biggest league you're only getting 8 events a year guaranteed and the stadiums have somewhat absurd footprints. I also don't know of any MUDs spurred on by NFL stadiums.

I want an MLB stadium the most because I think they can be architecturally beautiful and you get 81 guaranteed events a year. There are a dozen MUDs just this century alone that have been ignited by a MLB stadium. They can blend into neighborhoods. The crowds also don't have the rowdiness factor of other sports (except for playoffs)

[StoOgE]

Austin is going to get another sports team at some point. This is a booming city with a whole lot of money (both corporate dollars and potential fan dollars).

Someone will make the move here at some point. The fact that I am consistently seeing as much or more Austin FC gear around town compared to UT gear tells me the city is well past UT being our "sports" team.

MLB feels the most likely to wind up here in the next decade right now but of course the landscape is constantly changing.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by lonewolf

I would not call Vegas a "major city" and I think the reasons for its outsized reputation are obvious. I actually think it may be behind austin in "major cityishness"

a big 4(tbh it's just big 3) is not needed to become a major city, it's just evidence that you are one. RE exemptions are probably all the breaks these sports orgs are going to see going forward. It's now well known that the product is so well refined every club runs a model that generates a net profit even in the worst of years.

I like the fact we don't have an NFL team and mildly hope we don't get one. Despite being the biggest league you're only getting 8 events a year guaranteed and the stadiums have somewhat absurd footprints. I also don't know of any MUDs spurred on by NFL stadiums.

I want an MLB stadium the most because I think they can be architecturally beautiful and you get 81 guaranteed events a year. There are a dozen MUDs just this century alone that have been ignited by a MLB stadium. They can blend into neighborhoods. The crowds also don't have the rowdiness factor of other sports (except for playoffs)

Winnipeg got a team as recently as 11 years ago. I don’t think it’s as reliable an indicator as you think.

Oh well, give it long enough and the argument will become moot. Austin-San Antonio will have at least one of the big 4(3)

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by drummer

Name the primary pro sports team in Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Singapore, Mumbai, Dubai, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires....

Let's make it interesting: name the primary sports teams Munich, Amsterdam, London, Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Milan, etc...
)

First List: River Plate, Santos, Shanghai SIPG. I mean, the others are mostly because we don't pay attention to Asian sports teams in the West and not because they don't have extremely popular teams. I mean, one of my business partners has season tickets to Shanghai which is the only reason I know.


second list: Bayern Munich, Ajax, Chelsea/Arsenal/Tottenham/West Ham/Crystal Palace/QPR/Fulham, Real Madrid/Atletico Madric, Barca, PSG, Inter Milan/Milan FC

The second list is extremely easy if you watch international soccer as those are all top flight soccer cities.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

First List: River Plate, Santos, Shanghai SIPG. I mean, the others are mostly because we don't pay attention to Asian sports teams in the West and not because they don't have extremely popular teams. I mean, one of my business partners has season tickets to Shanghai which is the only reason I know.


second list: Bayern Munich, Ajax, Chelsea/Arsenal/Tottenham/West Ham/Crystal Palace/QPR/Fulham, Real Madrid/Atletico Madric, Barca, PSG, Inter Milan/Milan FC

The second list is extremely easy if you watch international soccer as those are all top flight soccer cities.

That's why I did the second list. Wanted to make it easy for folks.

But I also know you travel a lot for work and/or are internationally connected given your past comments. That's not true for everyone. It would be just as easy for some folks to say:

Munich: awesome beer
Amsterdam: canals
London: Big Ben / Tower Bridge
Madrid: Plaza Mayor
Barcelona: La Sagrada Familia
Paris: Eiffel Tower
Milan: finance / fashion

That said, I immediately think of soccer also.

My point is that cities worldwide are known for things beyond sports. I am a huge supporter of adding teams to the metro area (and/or shared with San Antonio if that could work out). I think that would be great for the region and would certainly add visibility. However, I don't think we need to aspire to be a sports city as if that's the ultimate goal.

[the Genral]

Soooo... Austin has a bunch of things no other major cities have; SXSW, ACL fest, Cota, Urban bat colony, State Capital, World Class indoor water park nearby, Kalahari, to name a few. A short drive to San Antonio gives us a very nice Zoo, as does Waco, a fun weekend getaway to miles of coastal beaches and an Aquarium at Corpus Christi that's amazing.
Three Basketball teams, Spurs, Mavs, Rockets, two NFL teams, two MLB teams, all within a few hours driving. Personally, I like to hop in the car and get away for a day or so. I like the opportunity to see something other than Austin once in a while and these things give me the opportunity. I somewhat disagree that MLS is not part of the other majors. It's not called NQMLS, (Not Quite Major League Soccer). It's relatively new and growing in popularity.
Where would we put a WC Zoo, Aquarium, Planetarium, Science Museum?
An Amusement Park worthy of noting could happen at COTA.
I think geographically Austin is in a good place to enjoy many venues and attractions and letting those other cities foot the bill. People are coming to Austin in droves to visit, and not having Professional Sports, Zoos, ect is not stopping them from coming. I'm not saying those things wouldn't be nice for us locals, but its not like we don't have access to those things in 4 hours or less.

[lonewolf]

Originally Posted by the Genral

Soooo... Austin has a bunch of things no other major cities have; SXSW, ACL fest, Cota, Urban bat colony, State Capital, World Class indoor water park nearby, Kalahari, to name a few. A short drive to San Antonio gives us a very nice Zoo, as does Waco, a fun weekend getaway to miles of coastal beaches and an Aquarium at Corpus Christi that's amazing.
Three Basketball teams, Spurs, Mavs, Rockets, two NFL teams, two MLB teams, all within a few hours driving. Personally, I like to hop in the car and get away for a day or so. I like the opportunity to see something other than Austin once in a while and these things give me the opportunity. I somewhat disagree that MLS is not part of the other majors. It's not called NQMLS, (Not Quite Major League Soccer). It's relatively new and growing in popularity.
Where would we put a WC Zoo, Aquarium, Planetarium, Science Museum?
An Amusement Park worthy of noting could happen at COTA.
I think geographically Austin is in a good place to enjoy many venues and attractions and letting those other cities foot the bill. People are coming to Austin in droves to visit, and not having Professional Sports, Zoos, ect is not stopping them from coming. I'm not saying those things wouldn't be nice for us locals, but its not like we don't have access to those things in 4 hours or less.

Yearly attendance
MLB: 68m
NHL: 22m
NBA: 22m
NFL: 18m
MLS: 9m

Yearly TV Revenue
NFL: $7.2b
NBA: $2.7b
MLB: $1.5b
NHL: $0.2b
MLS: $0.09b

I do agree MLS has a lot going for it and that it's best days are ahead. But there is only a big 3.

[atxsnail]

Originally Posted by lonewolf

Yearly attendance
MLB: 68m
NHL: 22m
NBA: 22m
NFL: 18m
MLS: 9m

Yearly TV Revenue
NFL: $7.2b
NBA: $2.7b
MLB: $1.5b
NHL: $0.2b
MLS: $0.09b

I do agree MLS has a lot going for it and that it's best days are ahead. But there is only a big 3.

While I do consider MLS a major league, it's obvious to anyone that it's not yet anywhere close to MLB/NFL/NBA and won't be for some time.

That said, comparing total attendance is a little silly because of how vastly different the numbers of games and teams are between leagues. Stadium sizes are also wildly different. PLus MLS is a growing league while the other leagues are going to remain static. In 2019, which had the 9m attendance mark, there were 24 teams in MLS. St Louis is coming on as number 29 next year and Las Vegas is widely expected to be announced the 30th team soon. The league is expected to eventually hit 32 teams.

Also while it mostly proves your point, MLS just signed a 10-year $2.5b deal with Apple to be the exclusive streaming partner starting next season. They're still working out regular TV broadcast rights, though that will likely be for substantially less money.

[StoOgE]

St Louis joins MLS next year actually!

I do think the new TV deal is going to allow MLS to improve their spending and become a top 6 soccer league globally which should improve ratings.

I expect within a decade for MLS to be bigger than NHL. Dont know that it ever catches the other 3.

[lzppjb]

Was there some rumor about a building in Austin taller than Waterline being planned? If so, can someone kindly point me toward that post(s)?

Thanks

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Was there some rumor about a building in Austin taller than Waterline being planned? If so, can someone kindly point me toward that post(s)?

Thanks

Don’t think it was specifically mentioned as taller than… just as another supertall. It’s the Avenue Lofts.

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by We vs us

Don’t think it was specifically mentioned as taller than… just as another supertall. It’s the Avenue Lofts.

Thanks! Found it. The poster did say it will pass 98RR.