Next Season

Maybe they will do something like a 2 for 1. If you buy season tickets to the USL-1 side then you get in free to the PDL games as well.

 

It is a difficult thing to ponder, all the support for the PDL side and the effect a USL1 side will have. Realistically, I would say that some folks who followed the PDL side will refocus all of their attention on the USL1 side. However, I think that a majority of folks on this blog, obviously have a much keener interest in the program as a whole. Otherwise, why would we spend so much time contributing to the forum?

Personally, I will probably have to forfeit the road trips to Dallas, Laredo, Houston, etc to watch the PDL boys as frankly, there's only so much football one can take (plus next summer we'll have the World Cup Qualifiers really getting to the nitty gritty). However, I will definitely track them. After all, part of the USL1 roster will continue to come from this squad and I'm always interested in tracking the next Miguel Gallardo, Josh Alcala, Jamie Watson (oops, now he's pulled the wool over my eyes, too), etc.

 

I've been wondering about the effect the USL-1 team will have on PDL attendance for a while, too. I know there are a number of other clubs in the league that have both, so I wonder how it works for them? I think the Aztex owners have visited with some of those other teams around the country, so hopefully they at least won't start from scratch to figure out what works vs. what doesn't.

I'm sure this plays into decisions about stadium(s), too. Not sure if they could pull off many "double-headers" (PDL & USL-1 team playing back to back). And the season lengths are a factor, too. PDL's been over (except post-season) since mid-July, while USL-1 goes well into September.

 

I say best of luck to the youth team next season, they'll probably have plenty of up an comming talent ta work with what with 30,000 or so youth players i nthe Austin city area alone.

But my sentiments lie with Mgray, msot of us will probably try ta follow the Aztex as a whole, youth as well as pro., but I seriously doubt that very many of us, army member or not, have either the finances or the desire to attend matches of both on a regular basis, and as a result I think many of us will take the higher of the two roads, ie attend the pro matches more often then not over the youth ones.

However, I predict that the youth team, family and friends included, will at least have a better support then the typical Laredo regular season home crowd of what 100-150 and thats worth somethin isn't it?

 

Interesting topic. If I were betting I would bet that the USL1 side would garner most of the attention, but it does bring up a valid point. Maybe the management of the Aztex should be thinking about keeping butt's in the seats for the PDL team, but I would also bet that they are already doing so.

 

I was doing stats for the team this year. I've been thinking that I'll do stats for them again, and just attend the USL-1 games. At least, that's what I'm thinking now. We'll have to see what happens next year.

The Aztex drew very well up in Dragon stadium. I don't know whether the team can afford it or not, but one solution that I can imagine is the USL-1 team playing down in Austin at House or Nelson, and the PDL team continuing up in Dragon stadium.

I'm sure there's plenty of people up that way that would love to keep watching the Aztex, but would find it hard to make the trip into town, just as there are a number of people that are interested in the team, but weren't able to make it up to Round Rock.

 

For me, the PDL game is more attractive. I like to see player development and "younger" players. The pro game should be a little better soccer, faster, more exciting. I don't know how I'm going to rectify the situation. Right now, I think I would make my focus PDL and attend as many professional games as possible. I would probably also drag friends to the pro games. (Hardcore football nuts, I'll drag with me to both.)

All of that said, I'll most likely buy season tickets to both, even if I know that there will be missed games for the USL-1 team.

 

I'm going USL-1 all the way. It's the top level of football in town (sorry Longhorns). I am very interested to see if the first year USL-1 team can come on and have the same kind of success as the PDL. That remains an open question.

As for PDL I will be keeping an eye on them, but mostly through the internets and such. I can only abandon my wife and kids so many nights a week.

 

PDL or USL1? Since I will probably be out of state by next season, I am going to be a USL candidate when they are in my area. However the PDL team has the opportunity to secure a good fan base with quality selections of "up and comers", and the USL side must gain credibility quickly to garner a fanbase. PDL is ticket sales "club" ball, while USL is community supported professionals. We can't expect a USL side of Austinites(or metro area guys) and think we will be consistently successful.

 

USL would be my inclination, but if the USL1 team played at Dragon Stadium and the PDLs played at House Park (not likely situation, I know) I'd be attending the PDL team more often than not.

 

I think what would make the most sense is for the Aztex to work something out with UT and go for Mike Myers Stadium. It's mostly a soccer stadium, natural grass, downtown. It could draw the UT crowd too. The more the merrier.

 

I wouldn't mind it except that place is huge...Assuming that UT will let anyone else rent it out, how many people will need to attend before it stops looking empty? 5k? I mean the place seats 20k...

The other problem is the track is huge around the pitch. It doesn't seem to be a place to get a good look at a new team. Just MHO.

 

There have been some rumors that it might happen, but I still have my doubts. UT, as far as I know, has never allowed anyone to use any of their facilities. The Drum being the one exception, but that's been a public facility for concerts forever.

As has been mentioned in other threads, the Houston Dynamo asked UT to use Myers for a CONCACAF Champions Cup game, and UT refused. I'm still pretty convinced that if an MLS team can't talk UT into renting it out for one game, there's no way a minor league team will be able to do it for a season.

...hm. I just remembered UT baseball sometimes playing some of their games out at the Dell Diamond. Was that because the new baseball field was still under a little construction? And, in relation to that, do I have a vague memory of the Express playing a game or two in town? Or am I just making something up?

 

I'd rather have House Park packed to the gills than an half empty Meyer stadium.

 

fyp.

 

Amen Roma

And as far as getting the UT/College crowd involved, House is not only right next to the ACC Rio Grande campus, which has a very active football community if I am not mistaken, but it's very close to the main UT drag.

 

Well lads the woderfull world of Wikipedia says that the average attendance for our youth team this past season was

1,166

Not a bad start, but we can do soo much better, and I predict that next season, if the Army makes it a priority to spread the word, we should raise the average attendance to at least 2,500 for the pro team and at least maintain a 500 average for the youth team.

Come on lads, lets start now, it's duable.

 

I would love House Park too. The atmosphere with the surroundings would be amazing.
But every time I drive by it looks so run down and looks like it needs a lot of work, the pitch especially. Are the Aztex going to want to invest in upgrades?

 

Also, I was under the impression that the PDL team would be dissolved in place of the USL-1 team. Are they going to operate both next season? I can't imagine that would make much financial sense.

 

Well not only has house park had it's pitch upgraded, but i have been told that no matter where we end up playing, the Rawlins are going to set the ARMY up with it's own section.

And yes we will have both a pro team and a youth team, and as far as financial sense goes I don't know, but I do know that the continuing existince of a youth team will only help to train, mold, and prepare the large youth soccer population in and around the Austin area for the pro level, regardless of league, and thats for sure a good thing.

 

Having the PDL team is critical to the success of the USL1 team, as it provides the talent that the USL1 need to be successful. It's a common structure in football, just like in baseball (A, AA, AAA baseball team feeder MLB teams). I've heard that the long term vision of the organization is to add the USL1 in 2009 (not news to anyone), add a woman's team in 2010, and an Academy similar to what we're seeing from Stoke City U18. There's a great tradition in footbal of bringing players up from youth teams to play for the senior squads. Steven Gerard, the legendary Liverpool player, was brought up within the Liverpool Academy system. It's this upbringing that has created such a major dedication to the team on Gerard's behalf.

 

That all makes perfect sense. I think what would be good for the PDL team would be to hold the games in a similar fashion as the mls reserves, i.e. as a pregame to the USL-1 matches. That way you're not splitting up the attendance. If it's feasible with scheduling.

Also, as far as Chantico's Army goes, i would love to see a lot of huge flags. DC pull it off so well as do the j-league teams.

 

I really like the idea of flags and banners. So, what we need is to find some folks who are willing to "fund" such an endeavor. I know that we can get some discounts by going to companies for banners that support the Aztex (Stoke Banners being one I've already talked to the Aztex about). Is anyone willing to get in touch with Stoke Banners or other companies to see what the cost would be for some flags and banners? We could start a fund that we could use for funding, or even set up a "sponsorship" so you can "sponsor" a banner or a flag.

Thoughts?

 

As a means of funding them, or the Army in general: I think we could organize a scarf drive. http://www.sportsscarf.com/ does custom jobs and sells most stock scarves at $15. If we ordered 50 and sold them all [hopefully] as a fundraiser to Army members at cost + $10 per scarf, that's $500 towards flags and banners. Thoughts?