It's Over – Aztex Leave Austin
Austin Aztex — Austin Aztex Confirm Relocation of Franchise
10/25/2010 12:00 PM -
AUSTIN, Texas (www.austinaztex.com) — It was confirmed today that the Austin Aztex have accepted an offer from a UK led consortium to acquire the Aztex USL franchise, which involves the relocation of the team to the City of Orlando, Fla.
“We have been actively seeking to broaden the investment base for the Aztex for the past 12 months. It has proven extremely difficult given the economic climate,” Aztex President Phil Rawlins said. “Our first and overriding preference was always to keep the Aztex in Austin. But after we exhausted all our options this has not proven possible.”
“I know the new investors very well — they are football people and have been interested in working with us for some time. They like what we have achieved on the field and in the community,” he continued. “However, they made it very clear that their investment was contingent upon the team relocating, citing Austin’s lack of a soccer specific stadium with any corporate facilities, the inability to sell alcohol at games and the geographical isolation of the team within the new USL-Pro League. In short, they didn’t see Central Texas as the right market for the team and their future plans.”
And into the picture walked the Orlando.
“Together with the City of Orlando, the new owners approached us about relocating the franchise to Central Florida. As much as we would have loved to keep the Aztex here, it’s proven impossible to find local business leaders who are willing to invest alongside us and who believed in this market.”
The team will relocate in time for the beginning of the 2011 season and will play in the new USL-Pro League. Head Coach Adrian Heath and all the retained players will be making the move with the team.
“This is a very, very bittersweet decision for us. The fans in Austin have given us fantastic backing and fully deserve pro soccer. I know many of our fans and their families personally and they will know that our decision to relocate has been taken with a very heavy heart. I know many people will be bitterly disappointed but we have been left with no local options of backing.”
“I would like to thank all the loyal Aztex fans for their support over the past three years. However, the new investors made it very difficult for us to turn down their offer. They bring much needed additional capital, expertise and connections. They have plans to add another professional sports team to the franchise which will give us year round revenue potential. Their goal is to build up the soccer operations so that we can pursue an MLS franchise in the next few years.”
No need for a “read it all” link, that’s the whole thing. I’m crushed, but after a weekend waiting to be crushed, honestly a little relieved, too.
I’ll have another post or two of my own here to wrap things up in the coming days, as I process what’s happened and work the bile out.
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6 comments to 'It's Over – Aztex Leave Austin'
October 25, 2010
Chris:
First of all, I want to thank you for the excellent work you have done on this web site.
The reason the Aztex are moving is very simple. You cannot make money on professional soccer in this country unless you have a new, soccer-specific stadium. Period. In a new stadium the fans see the game played on the right kind of field, the team controls all the ancillary revenues, the team doesn’t pay rent, the team can sell alcohol, etc. etc. etc. In other words, a team cannot make money playing in a place like House Park.
Phil Rawlins didn’t want to lose money indefinitely, and he didn’t want to build a new stadium by himself. He needed partners, and he couldn’t find them here. His decision is regrettable, but I do understand it.
The one thing that I am curious about is whether Phil Rawlins made ANY effort to get financial support for building a new stadium from the city or Travis county. Public funding for new stadiums is on the wane in America, but it still happens. The city might have chipped in a little money to build a new stadium. Who knows?
Dave
October 25, 2010
It’s a good point, Dave. But I think it’s a chicken and egg situation. You’re not going to get a new stadium built until you can show there will be some fans to fill it. Hell, it’s such a huge project, especially if it’s targeted to downtown like we all want, that you might not get it built even then. But if the only option is a Field of Dreams “build it and they will come”, well, that’s a bet I doubt anyone would make.
Especially now.
Besides, Rawlins & Co. knew all that before they ever set up shop in Austin. Or, they said they did.
October 25, 2010
Not only did they say they did, they said over and over that they were working on it. They even said that they had a plan for getting a stadium in three years.
I guess we completely missed the ‘wiggle room’ that the plan was to build it in Orlando.
October 25, 2010
LMAO, no doubt. They said “downtown”, but not of which city.
October 25, 2010
I am not at all convinced that it would have been impossible to get public money for a new stadium. Yes, it would have been difficult to get it. But with the right political connections it would have been possible. I just wish the team had TRIED to get it. They never even tried!
October 25, 2010
Condolences from Vancouver, guys.
Austin deserves better. Someday you’ll get it.
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