Welcome to the next in a series of updates on what’s going on in Austin professional soccer. Some of this information is new and some previously referenced by us or other news outlets, but wild speculation abounds here in Austin lately and we want to make sure you have the best and most reliable data available at any given time.

We recently sat down with Roberto Pinto da Silva Junior, the General Manager of the Austin Aztex to see what’s new. He was gracious enough to cover a number of topics and validated that much of the information in our previous post was correct.

Here’s our takeaways after our conversation:

Austin Aztex

Ownership

The ownership group is actively seeking additional investors that are aligned with the vision co-owners Bobby and René have for soccer and Austin. There’s a number of parties in discussions with the front office to bring capital and expertise to the current group.

There’s been a flurry of activity since Aztex 2.0 left the pitch, but much of it was long-term planning without tangible updates to report. We’re now moving closer to having more frequent updates, however, it will still be slow going for a bit. Patience.

Branding

This topic is not on the table until the new ownership configuration is finalized. Then there will be a lot of discussion of what makes sense to move forward with:

Keep “Aztex”?

Start fresh with a new identity

Keep the name for USL then change for MLS (Keeping in mind the need to have a USL affiliate)

A new name for USL and keep for MLS

And so on.

USL Updates

USL Timing

The official timeline is that by November, the Austin ownership has to let the USL know their plans — one way or another for 2017. It was mentioned by the USL President a few weeks ago that the league could provide even more time to get back on the pitch if needed.

Stadium for USL

The is the big update: There is a stadium solution. This means the issue is no longer if the team can find a suitable facility, but which one is the best option and what kind of timeline that option requires.

The longer version:

There are a few stadium scenarios under consideration. There isn’t a “frontrunner” plan, but the FO is weighing the pros and cons for each. The bottom line that there are now multiple ways for this to result in a new home for soccer, but nothing will be announced until the deal is finalized, which will likely be after the current USL season concludes (which also aligns with the November date mentioned above).

One option that’s now been made public, is the possibility of sharing a stadium with the Austin Huns Rugby team, who are currently moving forward with their own stadium plans. Unlike revenue challenges from renting local school facilities, the deal could possibly work more as a rev share with a joint entity created between the Austin FO and the Huns to operate the facility.

Huns Stadium Location — https://goo.gl/maps/8jM2fYYejb12

Promoting Austin Rugby

Wait. What?

While Austin’s been shopping for a new soccer field, local Rugby is about to turn pro. Having a lot in common regarding setting up all the things you need to have when you have a sports franchise, ownership has found a close alliance with Austin Huns Rugby. For supporting something really different and regardless of how the stadium situation plays out, it’s worth checking them out and following the Huns for news and updates until next season.