The Aztexan

The Austin Aztex FC have announced a new partnership with Mexican Primera División (first division) team Club de Fútbol Monterrey. Monterrey is commonly known as Rayados, "the striped ones", due to their blue and white striped kit.

A summary of the alliance between the two clubs:

• Players: Aztex FC will scout Central & Southern Texas for talent for Monterrey, and be a feeder club for them. Aztex players may be loaned to Rayados, and Monterrey will provide up to 2 players to the Aztex


• Travel: Monterrey will come to Austin to play exhibition games, and the Aztex will be able to go to Monterrey for pre-season training. Also, an Austin-area youth team will be hosted by Monterrey for a week each year


• Knowledge: in addition to sharing "best practices", Rayados coaches will participate in Aztex summer soccer camps, and Aztex coaches will have the opportunity to go to Monterrey and "shadow" their coaches for a week each year

Aztex FC worked with Monterrey earlier this year, when they hosted a round of youth friendlies in Austin which included the Stoke City U18s, Rayados 92/93 and the Lonestars. It seems that event was a better basis for partnership than the exhibition game in June against Monterrey's other club, UANL Tigres. Though the tremendous turnout at that Aztex v. Tigres match — tickets were $30 & $35, remember &mdash demonstrated the value of such a partnership.

So, who is Monterrey? Here's the little bit I've learned so far. The 2008 "Apertura" season (one of 2 seasons played each year in the Mexican league) is currently in Liguilla (playoffs). The Rayados, however, didn't make it that far this season. Nor did they quality for Mexico's InterLiga, unfortunately, which will be played in Dallas, Houston & Los Angeles. The next season, Clausura 2009 will start Jan. 16.

Personally, I'm pretty excited about this partnership. Now Aztex players will have avenues not just to English soccer, via Stoke City, but also to Mexican football. And in addition to such direct benefits, as listed above, a deal like this is just cool. Being international is part of what makes soccer so interesting. Contrast a deal like this with the global connections of the Round Rock Express or the Austin Wranglers (hint: there aren't any, and there never will be).

It instantly creates the possibility for cross-team fandom: now I have a Mexican team to follow. And hopefully, some Rayados fans, whether in Monterrey or here in Austin, will feel the same way about the Aztex. Just take a look at the view from their stadium!

(Or for that matter, from that same blog, take a look at the view inside their stadium... ;-)

I hope it works out well for all involved, and stays vibrant. Aside from the annual Rio Grande Plate, FC Dallas' partnership with UANL Tigres doesn't seem to have amounted to all that much. Regardless, here's looking forward to lots of good cross-border excitement between the red striped ones and the blue striped ones!

Labels: Rayados, U-23, USL-1