Although I welcome another soccer team to the spread, they seem to be testing the waters first before commiting to the A-league/USL. They play a few college teams, a few Mexican teams and one or two MLS and A-league teams. Not a bad idea before commitment to one level or another and a nice logo too.
http://www.austinposse.com/schedule/index.html They are playing Deportivo La Coruña in a friendly! WOW!
This whole setup seems a little unconventional to me. Well, very unconventional. You sign some pretty decent talent, you somehow line up some matches with a variety of teams from different leagues, hell, from different countries. But I can just picture someone calling up a Mexican 1st division or MLS team and saying "Hey, you don't know me, but I've got this little team put together down in Texas and we want to play a little pick up game. We're not in a league or anything but we may be some day". Somehow, they made it work. Then, on the revenue side of things, how many fans do you expect to come through the gate paying good money to basically watch exhibition soccer? Same thing for sponsors. I hope it all pans out, I just wonder who's bankrolling the team. Seems to be a bit of an unorthodox business plan. Just wonder if there's more to the story, maybe one of the current MLS czars testing the waters.
Yes, it is unconventional, yet promising, considering the how much they've accomplished without being in a league. They've convinced players to sign with them, arranged friendlies with big-time clubs, and secured a stadium deal($800 per game according to thread on Burn board). Whoever is behind this knows how to get things done.
I've asked a buddy down in Austin and he hasn't heard anything about this, but he's going to check around and find out what he can. If they pull off Deportivo or Chivas reserve teams that would be quite a job.
Well, it does make it easy for rival fans to come up with a derogatory alternative. I can't get their website to come up today. Hope that's not a bad sign.
http://www.austinposse.com/news/index.html Posse may set precedent and join Mexican League The Austin Posse are currently looking at their third option, to join the Mexican soccer federation. According to General Manager Jonathan Langer, "The Mexican Teams have been very supportive of our program and joining either the Mexican 2nd Division or 1st Division would create a precedent for American soccer. There are teams in southern Texas that this would open the door to as well." In additon, Vice President Carlos da Fonte states, "Financially this would be the less expensive way to go. Our travel costs would be less than if we were to go into the MLS or the A-League. Our Sponsership markets would open themselves up to the many Mexican products and services which would increase our clubs revenues. In addition, we have been warmly received by many of the teams and officials in Mexico. Granted, we are only in the initial stages of talks it is my opinion that things could acclearate very quickly."
I would think that the chances of them joining the Mexican league is slim to non. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it is unlikely that US Soccer Federation would approve this, let alone the region or FIFA. There are more then enough leagues in the US that they could join. Yes I know that there is precedant for teams from one country joining leagues in another country. But I find it highly unlikely.
It would certainly be a strange arrangement. Doesn't FIFA refuse -- currently, at least -- to recognize leagues that include teams from more than one nation? I thought that was why the USL (not FIFA-recognized I believe) had teams from Canada but MLS couldn't. At any rate, this wouldn't be a total first -- the World Indoor Soccer League's Monterrey La Raza played in Mexico while the rest of the league was American teams. I know it's not a great comparison and I'm pretty sure FIFA doesn't care about indoor anyway, but at any rate....
I do believe the USL is FIFA recognized because they have a transfer window they must adhere to and that was imposed by FIFA. As for other leagues, the current NSL in Australia features a team from New Zealand as does the Australian Soccer Association's proposed reformat of the NSL into an eight-team league.
Back when I lived in Austin, there was a team called the Austin Lonestars that were in D-3 that played at House Park. One season, they moved their games way out to one of the high schools near the airport (I think there was stadium renovation going on) and they basically lost most of their fan support from what I recall. I think the team went under but I'm not sure. I moved away a few years ago. Best of luck to them.
Looks like they just signed Roy Lassiter. Interestingly, they don't have his time with the Mariners listed on the Roster. Does anyone have the link to the Austin paper?
Jarrett, yes, I'm not sure the circumstances, but the Stars folded several years back, and then came a team called the Lightning, which for whatever reason also folded. What a shame, as the Stars seemed to do well as an organization for quite a while. On another note, where the heck is ERic Vormelker these days? I miss his posts.
I hate the limited editing permissions on this site! The Lightning do indeed still play, in the PDL. Thanks a lot, Posse, for confusing things!
Austin American-Statesman is the local paper. Not that they seem to have anything on the Posse. For those who might be interested, here's the Austin Lightning web site. Seems largely broken for me, though, using Mozilla.
they have an update on their site today that says Posse take another step toward joing Mexican league
I saw that too, but no link to a more detailed story and nothing about the posse at all in the local newspaper
from the Posse website: Posse may set precedent and join Mexican League The Austin Posse are currently looking at their third option, to join the Mexican soccer federation. According to General Manager Jonathan Langer, "The Mexican Teams have been very supportive of our program and joining either the Mexican 2nd Division or 1st Division would create a precedent for American soccer. There are teams in southern Texas that this would open the door to as well." In additon, Vice President Carlos da Fonte states, "Financially this would be the less expensive way to go. Our travel costs would be less than if we were to go into the MLS or the A-League. Our Sponsership markets would open themselves up to the many Mexican products and services which would increase our clubs revenues. In addition, we have been warmly received by many of the teams and officials in Mexico. Granted, we are only in the initial stages of talks it is my opinion that things could acclearate very quickly."
I went to the first game at house park against the Tigres second team and what I hear is that the first team Chivas are coming to town. Who knows we shall see. I was under the impression that the Tigres were the first team, but I found out just before the game that wasn't so. They are a very talented team but it seems they need to play together more. I don't believe this team can join the USL because of the Austin Lightning. Not real sure how all that works just what I have heard. Neither of these teams, Lightning or Posse, seem to be advertising on any stations except the the spanish ones. Again not real sure why that is but hopefully they both can figure it out and benefit from it.
i dont know a lot about this team but i hope they dont ruin the austin lightning. we are about to play our second season and if the posse comes along and takes the austin USL spot then the lightning is out of business. it isnt that big of a deal for us players, but for our coach and our owner that would be a cruel end. i have a feeling that posse will get the better of us because they have more money, but it is just gonna suck for us college guys who need to stay fit over the summer. we all want to get better, but we won't have the ability to if posse wipes us out. i am glad that they were able to pull in some talent (even if its in the form of some guys that are near to retirement), but i just hope they respect what we as a team have been doing. but then again it may not matter because austin isnt really a city that is to keen on pro sports. the lone stars were never really much, and everyone knows that not one major pro team is down here. austin is all about UT so maybe it would be best if posse went to the mexican league, even though that seems kind of ridiculous to me. oh well, we have our PDL season coming up and we are sure as hell not gonna charge anybody ten bucks to watch us play, so come catch a game if ur in the area. it really is kind of bad ass that chad deering is in austin now!!!