The Pacific Coast League landscape is about to change: The long-fought in-state rivalry between the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros will now be fought in the conference room, not the field, and will use pens, not bats. To the Lone Star State victor goes the spoils, in this case, the Round Rock Express.

Related: Astros Reach New PDC Deal With Express

The Player Development Contract (PDC) for both MLB teams expires with the Triple-A affiliate for each: The Rangers’ eight-year deal with the Austin suburb’s Express, and the Astros’ four-year pact with the Fresno (CA) Grizzlies.

The Express became a free agent once the PCL playoffs came to an end, September 15, after the Grizzlies were eliminated from the PCL Championship.

The Astros are heavily rumored to be more than interested in moving their AAA affiliate from central California to central Texas. Such proximity would make player travel from Houston to Round Rock and vice versa much more convenient and economical. Plus, their AA Corpus Christi Hooks is within a three and a half-hour drive to Round Rock, as well, making for quick travel for promoted players.

Conversely, the Rangers would be loathe to leave one of the fastest-growing markets, baseball and otherwise, in the country.

Related: The Nolan Ryan Factor: Express Likely Astros Property Again

Pesky tampering rules prevent both major and minor league teams from making their affiliate asset wish lists known, according to this recent Austin American-Statesman article, but several officials from Ryan Sanders Baseball, which owns the Express, told the Statesman what they could about this long-awaited impending decision.

Reading Between the Lines

“I’m excited for the chance to sign a new PDC,” said CEO Reese Ryan, son of Hall of Fame pitcher and former Astro and Ranger, Nolan Ryan (and Astro president Reid Ryan’s brother). “We’re [the Express] a high-value franchise in an area that continues to have explosive growth [Austin and the central Texas area]. We’re coming off a PCL home attendance title. We’re going to have great options.

“We will carefully weigh our choices and do what makes the most sense for us.”

The two-week window from Sept. 16-30 provides teams the opportunity to make contact and negotiate new two- or four-year deals.

As it happens, in the past week, the Astros have extended the PDC with their Class A short-season Tri-City ValleyCats (newly-crowned New York-Penn League Champions) affiliate through 2020, as well as their Class A full season Quad Cities River Bandits of the Midwest League.

Texas Two-Step or Jubilation?

“It’s kind of like going to the eighth-grade dance,” Reese continued. “You look around, size it up and say, ‘Well, I’d like to dance with that person.'”

One Round Rock resident and Express fan recently told the Statesman, “The Astros are riding high. They won the World Series, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they repeat. They bring a lot more to the table than the Rangers right now.”

Reid Ryan is credited with founding the Express, who began as Houston’s Double-A, then Triple-A affiliate from 2000-2010. The Round Rock team shifted parent clubs after the Astros’ 11-year run when Nolan Ryan held an office post with the Rangers (and the Astros were losing regularly). Nolan is currently a special advisor for the Astros.

The Plot Thickens

“Obviously there are the family ties to Houston,” said Express President Chris Almendarez, building even more drama to a situation already bloated with it. “But we’ve developed a strong connection with the Rangers. Central Texas used to be Astros country, yet it’s pretty well split now. That’s the reality of our market.”

Rangers general manager, Jon Daniels, even told the Statesman back in May that “We understand the factors in play and certainly have respect for the role that family plays.”

The Statesman‘s Kevin Lyttle opines that “either Texas or Houston could easily slot next year into San Antonio, which is luring Colorado Springs’ team. The contract of the Brewers’ top affiliate is up this month, along with those in Nashville [Athletics], Las Vegas [Mets] and Tacoma [Mariners].”

So, the loser of the Round Rock sweepstakes has a host of possibilities, but only one in-state, a tolerable consolation prize if a deal can, indeed, be reached.

Top-Drawer Draw

The Express are coming off their third straight losing season (65-73), finishing last in their division, but they remain popular, selling a PCL-high 616,636 tickets, or 8,809 per game.

“We’ve been top five a lot, but I don’t think we’ve ever been one or two for all the minor leagues,” Express general manager Tim Jackson said, proudly talking attendance. They are ahead of 255 other minor league franchises and were duking it out with the Charlotte Knights of the International League (Chicago White Sox’ AAA team) toward season’s end for MiLB attendance supremacy.

The Knights ended the season topping the minors in average home attendance with 8,980, while Round Rock’s average was second, at 8,809.

Charlotte has won three of the last four attendance titles since moving into their new park in Uptown Charlotte. The Express have finished first or second as a PCL draw for 11 years running, according to this Statesman report from late August.

The Astros’ AAA Fresno club is 81-56, won its division again, and showcases much higher-ranked prospects than do the Rangers. They also finished ninth (out of 16 teams) in average PCL attendance, with 6,051.

“We’d Stay”

Whether the Rangers or Astros claim it as their affiliate, the Express look to a rousing 20th-anniversary celebration in 2019. The Round Rock City Council even recently approved an expenditure to install all-new seating at Dell Diamond.

“We work together really well, and I don’t see that ever changing,” Reese Ryan said of the city and the club. “Every year we do things to improve this ballpark. We strive to keep it relevant and one of the best.”

Rangers outfield prospect Scott Heineman (brother of former Houston catching prospect Tyler, now with the Milwaukee organization) pinpoints the looming PDC dilemma and doesn’t want a change of venue for the Rangers’ Triple-A players. “If it were up to me, we’d stay,” the 25-year-old said. “The suburb, the park, the fans… I love it here.”