January 16 – Major League Soccer (MLS) in the US has announced Austin FC as its 27th franchised team. Austin Will begin play in 2021.
MLS commissioner Don Garber said: “Austin is a thriving metropolitan city – the personification of what we mean when we say MLS is a ‘League for a new America,'” Garber said in a league release. “We are extremely proud to be the first major professional sports league to become part of the culture of this historic American city. In their support of a world-class soccer stadium that benefits everyone, the leadership of the city of Austin has shown tremendous faith in our league and game,
Austin FC will be the first major league professional sports team in the Texas city and will play at 20,000 capacity purpose-built stadium. That build begins later this year and will cost an estimated $225 million.
Austin FC will join MLS newcomers FC Cincinnati who start in the league this year, while Nashville and David Beckham’s Inter Miami are set to make their MLS debuts in 2020.
The Austin decision is not without some controversy and demonstrates the commercially-led rather than football-led club franchising criteria of the MLS.
The new Texas franchise is owned by Precourt Sports Ventures, led by Anthony Precourt, who was the owner of the Columbus Crew, one of the founding members of the MLS. Precourt had tried to relocate the Crew to Austin but was unsuccessful.
At one point it looked as though without Precourt’s backing the Crew would fold, however it now looks as though a new ownership group is getting closer to take over.
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