Professional Soccer Team To Start Playing In Austin By 2021

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Major League Soccer will launch games by expansion team Austin FC beginning in 2021, officials announced on Tuesday.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber was joined by Austin FC Chairman & CEO Anthony Precourt, Austin Mayor Steve Adler and soccer fans in Austin to officially launch the new team as the league’s 27th member club.

“Austin is a thriving metropolitan city — the embodiment of what we mean when we say MLS is a ‘League for a new America,’ ” Garber said. “We are extremely proud to be the first major professional sports league to become part of the fabric of this important and thriving American city."

With Adler at his side in making the announcement, Garber praised local officials' efforts to land the sports team: "In their support of a world-class soccer stadium that benefits the entire community, the leadership of the City of Austin has shown tremendous faith in our league and the sport of soccer in North America. I want to thank Anthony Precourt for his continued commitment to our league and Mayor Adler and the political leadership of the City of Austin for their belief in Major League Soccer.”

The announcement follows recent news that Austin will soon be home to a new, state-of-the-art soccer stadium located at the city-owned property at McKalla Place in North Austin. The publicly owned $225 million project on 24 acres will feature a 20,000-seat, natural grass stadium and public park that will be entirely funded by Precourt Sports Ventures (PSV), the investor-operator of the club. Groundbreaking for the new stadium will take place later this year and officially open with the club’s historic first home game in the spring of 2021.

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PSV was founded in 2012 by Anthony Precourt, who has been the managing partner at Precourt Capital Management since 2008. Prior to becoming investor-operator of Austin FC, PSV held the same responsibility for the last six years with Columbus Crew SC. Andy Loughnane, previously president of business operations of Crew SC, was named president of Austin FC on Jan. 3, providing the new club with experienced and highly-respected leadership in MLS.

“This is a very proud moment, and we are so happy to share it with the people of Austin, City leadership, the dedicated soccer fans of the region, and everyone who believed in our mission to bring Major League Soccer to this incredible community,” said Precourt. “The greatest way we can show our gratitude is in our actions as leaders of Austin FC. Our intent is to build a team that will be a perennial contender for MLS Cup, to build a stadium at McKalla Place that rivals the best sporting venues in North America, and to cultivate a club culture that brings people together and always give back.”

For his part, Adler characterized the development as a "historic" milestone for Austin.

“This is a historic day for Austin, as MLS becomes the first major league to plant roots in our beautiful city,” Adler said. “We believe professional soccer will bring a great and especially needed benefit to our city. In two years, this team and an elite soccer stadium will bring together all kinds of people from all over Austin in a way that we do not gather today. This is one important way we become a more socially integrated community. Thank you to Precourt Sports Ventures and MLS for bringing this opportunity to all the residents of Austin!”

In a separate prepared statement, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce board chairman Brian Cassidy also spoke of the development in historic terms.

"Today is a momentous day for the City of Austin and Central Texas," Cassidy said. "Today we formally became home to a major league sports franchise: Austin FC. We are thrilled with the culmination of more than a year of hard work, collaboration, and commitment across our community. Congratulations to Mayor Adler, City Council, Anthony Precourt, Major League Soccer, and the community of activists and soccer supporters that made today a reality. Having a major league sports franchise, especially one that will play the most popular sport in the world, is another marker of success for our city.”

Soccer officials predicted the debut of Austin FC in 2021 will surely spark more intense MLS rivalries across the state as they join FC Dallas and the Houston Dynamo in Texas in the sports league.

Soccer fans in Central Texas interested in receiving the latest updates from Austin FC, including future announcements related to purchasing Austin FC season tickets, premium seating and suites at the new stadium, can visit www.AustinFC.com to sign up in staying informed of future developments and announcements. Austin FC can be followed on social media at @AustinFC on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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>>> Stadium rendering courtesy of Precourt Sports Ventures