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Austin FC lost big against Kansas City last time, and they're looking for a rematch after their first week of rest. (Sporting Kansas City/Twitter)
After a brutal seven-game road stretch against some of the toughest teams in the MLS, Austin FC was in need of some good news. Luckily, they got it: the underdog club forced No. 1 Seattle Sounders to their first scoreless draw of the season and is coming in fresh off of their first weekend break so far.
At the beginning of the season, being relentless, having intensity and keeping a high tempo were all key factors in Austin FC's identity, according to head coach Josh Wolff. That willingness to fight was curbed at times by exhaustion and injuries, but Wolff said they've taken their week off to hit the "reset" button.
"We've been kind of using this international break to take stock of where we're at, and think back to some of the principles that we kind of started out with," he said.
Now, Austin FC is seeing another good omen as they head into their first-ever rematch. The club is slated to play Sporting Kansas City, the former stomping grounds of defender Matt Besler and head coach Josh Wolff, once again on Saturday. One of the top teams in the league, Kansas City beat Austin FC 2-1 in early May after a catastrophic second half for the Verde and Black. This time around, however, they'll be without key goalscorer Alan Pulido—and Austin could just get the upper hand.
Here's what to expect as Austin plays its first rematch in club history against Kansas City this Saturday:
What to expect
Sporting KC's Gianluca Busio is a 19-year-old force in the club's midfield. (Sporting Kansas City/Twitter)
Strictly on paper, Kansas City is set to win Saturday's match. KC is currently 2nd in the Western Conference compared to Austin FC's 11th, and while standings don't matter much in the league, it is telling of how each club has performed so far this season.
In eight matches, Kansas has lost just one and is coming off of a 5-2-1 record. The club has scored 15 goals, the most in the league, and KC's Dániel Sallói has the second most expected goals in MLS with 3.68.
Austin has lucked out, however, with the absence of their opponent's star forward Alan Pulido as he plays for the Mexican National Team this weekend. Pulido has accounted for one-third of Kansas City's 15 goals, and his absence will be felt at the crown of the club's offensive system. They also might see a more tired Gadi Kinda, who was called up to play for Israel's national team on Wednesday, June 9.
With Pulido gone, Kansas has lost a key cog in their machine, but they're still packing star power. The club scored three goals in 14 minutes against the Houston Dynamo on Sunday, May 30, in part thanks to a stunning free kick by 19-year-old Gianluca Busio. Busio, who has scored two goals this season, is now getting attention from high-profile European teams in Italy's Serie A.
Austin FC is coming off of a victory of sorts as well. The club may have been 'scoreless in Seattle,' but a scoreless draw against the No.1 team in the league is a victory of sorts in itself. Austin FC seemed to gain their bearings after a rough few weeks on the road, and they should be even more prepared and well-rested after a weekend at home.
The club scored against Kansas in just seven minutes last match, and they could do the same again if they manage to complete their chances up front.
Wolff said that the club held their own against Kansas City last time, and he doesn't expect much to change in KC's gameplay as they continue to press high and attempt to drive in goals.
"They're a well-oiled machine, they don't deviate from that too much," Wolff said. "We've got to go in there with a real clear picture, of what it's going to look like and how we have to match the intensity."
Projected starting lineup
For the first time this season, Austin FC could be facing a new lineup as they go into the weekend's match. Wolff hinted that a 4-4-2 or 4-3-1 lineup could soon be on the table instead of the 4-3-3 formation they've been touting this season. Still, I went with a safer bet and predicted that the 4-3-3 will stay for one more game.
Cecilio Dominguez had one of his best performances of the season against Seattle after being switched from left wing to striker, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him at the top of the lineup again this week. Jon Gallagher did his part in left wing and could be there again, although Danny Hoesen or Kekuta Manneh could also get some playing time in the new open position. Meanwhile, Jared Stroud has been consistent on right wing and is likely to stay there as he continues to create opportunities.
Jhohan Romana was reported to be practicing fully with the club this week after missing the Seattle match due to a leg injury. If recovered, he'll go back into center back over Julio Cascante.
Brad Stuver, one of just two players to have started every match this season, is near-guaranteed to be back in goal after making several "Saves of the Week" already this season.
Wolff said Stuver has exceeded his expectations as he secures his spot over Andrew Tarbell, who he was competing with for the starting position in preseason.
"His performance has been fantastic," Wolff said. "He's taken it and run with it...I think that's probably stood out the most, he's made some very good saves kept us in some games."
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Austin FC fans continue to pack Q2 Stadium, but ticket prices are beginning to tumble as Austin falls in the standings. (Austin FC/Twitter)
While Austin FC continues to sell-out crowds—their most recent match was at capacity despite their record and scheduling conflict with a Texas Longhorns game—demand has dipped as new factors continue to pull down prices.
Austin FC's rocky season has been met with unbridled fan support, but it's also lost that honeymoon-phase traction as they fell to the bottom of the standings, faced a third COVID surge and were met with school, work and good ol' Texas football.
On Sept. 15, Austin FC fan Tanis Olvedo was willing to strike a deal: two beers for a ticket.
Although he later sold at cost to another season ticket holder, many fans have seen the value of their season tickets take a serious dip. By Wednesday, Sept. 15, tickets that were once no lower than $36 had dropped to as little as $14.
Austin Anthem member Phil Stanch used his accounting skills to map out the dip in his ticket sales prices.
Phil Stanch found that the predicted value of his season tickets (in orange) will continue to trend downward. (Phil Stanch)
Here are the main reasons why fans say Austin FC's ticket prices have taken a tumble:
COVID
Austin FC's first home game on June 19 seemed like perfect timing—by June 16, 51% of Travis County residents were fully vaccinated. Mid-May saw Austin lift its risk-based guidelines to Stage 2 for the first time since the pandemic's onset just in time for the brand-new Q2 Stadium to open at 100% capacity.
But with the third surge sending Austin back into Stage 5 and hospitalizations skyrocketing in late summer, some diehard fans reluctantly began opting for the couch over a 20,738-capacity stadium.
That safety-consciousness comes tenfold for parents of young children who are still ineligible to get vaccinated, at-risk fans and the older population.
School starting and unvaccinated kids. That’s why we haven’t gone in a while. We are season ticket holders, so we have just given ours away to friends and coworkers that can go.
— jae (@jae98342926) September 23, 2021
Austin has stuck to capacity and hasn't added any masking or testing requirements, garnering some criticism from fans.
I stopped going because of the COVID surge. I tried to sell my tickets a couple of times and they didn’t move. Then I decided to eat them to make space. Not happy the club didn’t create a mask or vaccination requirement.
— Ruben Cavazos (@rcavazos) September 24, 2021
School
Just as the surge reached its peak in mid-August, schools across Austin once again opened in-person, leaving many families unable to go to late-night games on weeknights. Ten of the club's 17 home games have been on Wednesdays, Thursdays or Sundays—days that have quickly transformed into "school nights."
With 9-5ers unable to justify 8:30 p.m. weeknight games and kids tucked in bed by 10, fewer fans have been able to make their way to the games.
And with school comes another conflict of interest- tried-and-true Texas football is fully underway, and though Sept. 18 saw a sold-out crowd, a few Verde seats were left empty as the two teams played at home at the same time for the first time.
A combo of a number of things:
— Tom H (@hallockitup) September 23, 2021
- Wednesday or Sunday games that end around 10pm are not appealing to people with jobs or kids.
- Being in last place hurts, no matter how passionate people are about the team. Nothing on the line.
- This is still Texas, and it’s football season.
Results
While COVID and fall responsibilities have played a factor, Austin FC is also dealing with the unfortunate reality of being a last-place team.
Season ticket holder Doug Mayo was one of the 4% of season ticket holders who didn't renew his deal with the team. Once confident that he would easily sell the coveted tickets for their original price, the team's record plummeted alongside his own ticket prices. Mayo said that the team's 5-4-16 record caused their honeymoon phase to end prematurely.
"The newness wore off fast," Mayo said. "Nobody wants to go to a sporting event when it's 99% certain the team they support will lose."
For Mayo, it'll take a better record and more passionate play on the field to get him back in the 20,000-member season ticket waitlist.
"Mainly (I want) them to start acting more like a professional team," Mayo said. "We were so excited to have something to look forward to throughout COVID and it's just been a disappointment."
I've been a big supporter in general, I went to 4 games in the first half of the season, but no amount of "fan camaraderie" makes me want to spend $30-40 to see a team that plays without heart. And that's bc the last game I saw we actually won (albeit Houston was down a man).
— Brown and in Austin (@DisraelTV) September 23, 2021
Still other reasons abound: some fans say it's those $10 beers themselves that cause prices to dip, while others say tickets were overpriced in the first place. Although Austin FC says 96% of season ticket holders decided to renew for 2022, many did so with a grain of salt, including longtime fan Shawn Collins.
"I have tickets in 110 (the Lexus Club) and even when the demand was crazy high I couldn't get face for my tickets because they were so high to begin with," Collins said. "When I got them I figured I'd make back what I paid on games I couldn't attend."
Austin FC's dip in ticket sales may be more of an MLS problem than a unique issue: gameday employee and University of Texas sports business student Ben Patterson said that prices shot up due to pre-season excitement and are now at more normal levels.
"The initial hype of finally having a pro sports team is likely what drove up season ticket prices at the start of the year," Patterson said. "Now that excitement has cooled off, ticket prices have dropped in value steeply."
But while five straight losses are enough to drive at least some fans away, plenty are committed to staying Verde through thick and thin.
It might not be easy being green, but thousands of fans are now enjoying the benefits of $20 tickets as they continue to pack Q2.
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Austin could no longer host the United States Grand Prix if a ten-year contract isn't renewed at Circuit of the Americas. (Circuit of the Americas/Facebook)
Some insiders worry that COTA's 2021 Grand Prix race might be its last.
The multi-day fest from Oct. 22-24 will include a 56-lap race over the 3.3-mile track, food and musical performances from two acts, including Billy Joel at COTA's 1,500-acre facility in Southeast Austin. But after this year, the U.S.' first F1-specific track could lose its headline event.
The facility's inability to secure a contract thus far comes down to the Texas Legislature, a new threat in Miami, and, most importantly, money.
The first F 1 race will take place in Miami next year. (Hard Rock Stadium)
Every year, Formula 1 receives roughly $25 million from Texas' Major Events Reimbursement Program, a taxpayer-funded initiative that helps bring big sporting events like 2017's Houston Super Bowl to the state. A 2019 report by the Reimbursements Program on that year's race said the "data is inconclusive" on if the event has a positive or negative economic impact on the state with the resources given. In 2018, the Austin-American Statesman reported that COTA had brought back a total of $75.7 million between 2015 and 2017 for hosting the U.S. Grand Prix.
Legal issues have also barred Epstein and Co. from securing another 10-year contract earlier: in 2018, the company lost its yearly $25 million bid after failing to submit a human trafficking prevention plan as part of its yearly application.
That same year, F1 managing director of commercial operations Sean Bratches told the Associated Press that the organization hopes to stay at COTA "for many years to come."
However, in May, the racing league announced that it had secured a 10-year contract to hold the Miami Grand Prix as American interest in the sport soared following the three-season "Drive to Survive" documentary, which gives behind-the-scenes looks at drivers and races of the Formula One World Championship.
Epstein is optimistic about the new U.S. location and told Autoweek in May that "more races in our time zones are good for the sport."
"I think we're getting double the impact this way," Epstein said. "Miami should sell out huge the first year and maybe the second year and then after that, I think we'd be spitting audience if we were around the same time on the calendar. So the spread is fantastic."
Bobby Epstein recognizes the 1 millionth customer of COTA in 2013. (COTA/Facebook)
The new F1 venture may impact COTA's contract, however: in an opinion piece for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, writer Mac Engel said Texas is unlikely to fork over taxpayer money if the facility is no longer the only F1 track in the U.S.
According to Engel, the Major Events Reimbursements Program agrees to provide funding only "if Austin holds the only F1 race in the country."
Epstein hasn't addressed such claims; by contrast, he feels as though there's room for a third race in the U.S. as ticket sales rebound after COVID.
"In the first week, we sold pretty much all the tickets we put up for sale and we plan to break the 2019 attendance record," Epstein told Autoweek. "Texas was the first place to lift COVID-19 restrictions (in the U.S.) and put on sporting events, and we're full. We're at 100% capacity.
Despite ventures to diversify revenue at COTA—Epstein's USL soccer team Austin Bold has seen its own share of troubles, and the facility plans to develop into a multi-faceted entertainment arena complete with music venues, a waterpark, condominiums and an 11-story hotel—a loss of its primary event could be devastating for the $300 million complex.
F1 has rarely lasted more than a decade at venues in the U.S. over the last century; let's hope Austin breaks that curse.
COTA's media relations team did not immediately get back to Austonia for comment.
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