Keeping Central Texans up-to-date on all the soccer news that’s fit to link to.
Word came out first from Scratching the Pitch, after seeing information from the USL ahead of their annual summer meetings:
… Read the rest “Statesman: Aztex Return Unlikely in 2017”Though not explicitly stated, the proposal is a harbinger of another dormant season for the Austin Aztex, which suspended operations in 2016 to get its house in order. Thirty teams is one more than currently compete in the league. The much-hyped inclusion of Reno in the 2017 schedule would achieve the total of 30 teams, and would leave no
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.
… Read the rest “Still Nothing Concrete in Stadium Search”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
San Antonio FC kicked off their USL home campaign Saturday night with a record-setting crowd. The home team got off to a slow start as Swope Park Rangers took the early lead when a loose ball found the SAFC net in the 2nd minute.
Both clubs are expansion sides for the 2016 USL regular season, but have had hot starts in league play. Throughout the first half, SAFC controlled possession and equalized in the 42nd minute.The second half was a … Read the rest “Road Report: San Antonio FC Home Opener”
The United Soccer League continues to experience phenomenal growth as they prepare to begin the 2016 season. The league boasts the addition of six new clubs to the North American landscape, bringing their total to 29, with an additional club (Reno) already slated to join in 2017.
Four of the six additions are directly associated with MLS clubs; some with unique names (Sporting Kansas City’s Swope Park Rangers, Houston Dynamo’s Rio Grande Valley FC, and Philadelphia Union’s Bethlehem Steel FC), … Read the rest “USL, A Growing Problem?”
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””
For local supporters of the beautiful game, 2015 will be remembered for dramatic highs and devastating lows. It was a year in which professional soccer made a return to the City of the Violet Crown, but which ends with no active team and head coach Paul Dalglish packing his bags for a new gig in Canada.
The year began with bang; in February the Aztex hosted three MLS teams – FC Dallas, Columbus Crew, and D.C. United – in … Read the rest “Aztex 2015: the Year in Review”
In the wake of last month’s news that the Austin Aztex would be on hiatus in 2016, with a planned reentry to USL competition in 2017, many questions came up about the club’s surprise announcement. Violet Crown Soccer had the opportunity to sit down at The Tavern last week with Aztex owner and CEO Rene van de Zande, founder David Markley and General Manager Roberto Pinto da Silva, Jr., and ask some of those questions.
It’s clear that the group … Read the rest “On the Record: an Interview with the Aztex”
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”
On October 2nd the Austin Aztex announced that they will not be participating on the field in 2016, with the intention to return in 2017. The press release made clear that the Aztex are under pressure from USL to find a suitable long-term home for the club. If they are truly returning in 2017, the owners and the remaining staff must be working furiously to accomplish their goal. Their only public step so far is the nice-looking Stadium for Austin … Read the rest “Stadium Standards & Smoke Signals”
