Author: Chris G

FC Austin Elite Brings Women’s Soccer to Austin

We’ve written before that even without an Aztex season, 2016 has a lot to offer soccer fans in Central Texas. Now, in addition to those games around Texas and around the world, there is another team starting up right here in Austin: FC Austin Elite, of the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL). We spoke with General Manager Danny Woodfill to get all the details.

Last year this team was known as the Austin Aces (not to be confused with … Read the rest “FC Austin Elite Brings Women’s Soccer to Austin”

Still Nothing Concrete in Stadium Search

The Austin American-Statesman published a story yesterday with news of progress – or lack thereof – in the Austin soccer stadium search: Aztex still seeking a place to call home.

Seven months after the franchise announced it was shutting down for a year, the Austin Aztex still need to find a stadium solution before they possibly return to the United Soccer League in 2017.

Owner Rene van de Zande said Aztex management is exploring three or four undisclosed options

… Read the rest “Still Nothing Concrete in Stadium Search”

Road Report: USWNT Olympic Qualifier in Dallas

On Saturday Chris G. road-tripped to Frisco to watch the U.S. Women’s National Team play Mexico in the second of three group games in the 2016 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship.

The last time I made the trip up I-35 to Dallas for a soccer game was the FC Dallas – Portland Timbers playoff game last November, and my experience this weekend could hardly have been more different. In November I was late, in terrible weather, and stuck in ridiculous … Read the rest “Road Report: USWNT Olympic Qualifier in Dallas”

Farewell to Futbol en Vivo

Futbol En Vivo was a bilingual radio program that aired every Tuesday from 1-2pm on 91.7 FM KOOP Radio in Austin, Texas. Work and family commitments of the hosts recently prompted them to halt the weekly show after nearly seven years on the air.

The program started in mid-2009 with Chilean David Alvarez and Mexican Jose de Loera as hosts. De Loera, current proprietor of Takoba, was unable to continue as host due to his Takoba obligations, so Alvarez, … Read the rest “Farewell to Futbol en Vivo”

The USL Show: “Austin was managed terribly”

The USL Show podcast

The first episode of the new USL Show podcast (not officially related to the league) was released this week. The discussion centers around the current state and possible future of USL, especially relative to MLS. There’s also a lot of discussion of what has happened in Rochester, where the league has taken over management of the 2015 champion Rhinos. In the course of that talk (at about the 1-hour, 12-minute point), panelist Brendan Doherty discloses information from unnamed sources … Read the rest “The USL Show: “Austin was managed terribly””

2016: The Year Ahead for Austin Soccer Fans

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The Aztex hiatus means that we won’t be able to attend professional games in Austin this year, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing for soccer fans in central Texas to do. In fact, with a little travel and/or a TV, there’s a lot of footie in store for 2016.

Foreign Leagues: EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, etc.

now through mid-May, resuming in August

You may well already be a fan of one of a team or two in the big foreign … Read the rest “2016: The Year Ahead for Austin Soccer Fans”

Road Report: USWNT Victory Tour in San Antonio

Both of your Violet Crown Soccer correspondents made the trip down to San Antonio last Thursday to see the U.S. women’s national team on the Texas leg of their 2015 Victory Tour. Though we didn’t see the world cup trophy itself – thanks to the Alamodome’s goofy no re-entry policy – we did see: a lively American Outlaws tailgate & march, a Christen Press hat-trick, a six-zero final scoreline, and lots of enthusiastic USWNT fans. Below are a few pictures … Read the rest “Road Report: USWNT Victory Tour in San Antonio”

USWNT Refuses Hawaii Turf, Is Alamodome Next?

U.S. Soccer announced this morning the last-minute cancellation of the friendly the Women’s National Team was to play against Trinidad & Tobago in Hawaii. The decision was made “after a determination that the artificial turf surface is not suitable to hold an international soccer match”.

The U.S. Women are scheduled to play Trinidad & Tobago at the Alamodome in San Antonio on Thursday night. The women’s soccer news site Equalizer Soccer, in a post from just before to the cancellation … Read the rest “USWNT Refuses Hawaii Turf, Is Alamodome Next?”

Road Report: MLS Western Conference Final

Sunday night Chris G. road-tripped to Frisco to watch FC Dallas host Portland Timbers FC in the second leg of the MLS Western Conference championship. His Dallas team came in to the game down two goals from the first leg, but with one road goal that might have made the difference… but didn’t. The game ended in a 2-2 draw, leaving Portland to win the series on aggregate, 5-3.

I’m not here to give a match report, I just thought I’d … Read the rest “Road Report: MLS Western Conference Final”

What Swope Park and Titan Village Tell Us

This USL offseason we’ve seen several new teams join the league for 2016. Though it will be at least a year before we see them play against an Austin side, there are aspects of a couple of these announcements that stand out.

One new entrant is Sporting Kansas City’s new team: the Swope Park Rangers. The reception of this new club’s name, logo, and branding has been very positive, and with the solid SKC organization behind them, success is … Read the rest “What Swope Park and Titan Village Tell Us”