It’s time for Texas to have its own pro Soccer league
Phil Rawlins, team owner of the Austin Aztex, take note.
As one of the only stable entities left in USL and someone who has the rare affiliation with a professional team outside the United States (Stoke City), Rawlins is someone who carries clout at a time when professional Soccer is at one of its most unsettling moments. A players strike is looming for one league and the other two (USL Div. 1 and the NASL) leagues are trying to figure out whether they will play a 2010 schedule. (USL Div. 2 will play 2010 with what appears to be only 6 teams, all from the Eastern part of the U.S.) 
It’s the perfect time for the 7 PDL teams from Texas to seek one more team ownership for San Antonio and come together to form their own league. They should ensure their success by complimenting their men’s teams with a women’s league. Thus, eight teams because 16 teams. Both the men’s and women’s teams of each city/area can use the same team colors and can travel together to give fans a doubleheader for all regular season games.
Texas may be the only state that could be successful with its own pro Soccer league. The only other ones with a chance to accomplish it would be Florida or California. But, a close look at each state’s current infrastructure puts Texas out in front. Though youth Soccer is strong in Florida and California, it may be strongest in Texas.
Also, quite a few of these Mid South PDL teams have been around a while and have lots of fans who support them from year to year.
Laredo is a big competitor every year for the PDL title, winning it once. The El Paso Patriots have an enormous history as far as Soccer teams go in the U.S. They were founded in 1989, made the U.S. Open Cup final in 1995 and have been playing in a soccer-specific stadium since 2005. And, the West Texas United (from Midland, Texas) seem solid as they made a big splash in their inaugural season of 2009, making the playoffs.
There are two Texas mottos that seem to always stand out. ‘Don’t Mess with Texas’ and ‘Everything’s Bigger in Texas.’ Do these mottos hold true for Soccer too?
For these 7 owners, it’s time to take a deeper look at the possiblity of forming an all Texas pro Soccer league.
It seems, that if they only want to be part of the USL’s base, than they are selling themselves short when it comes to the bottom line of making money. Starting their own league and pulling their resources together without the middle man would create more possible revenue from new franchises and all other marketing efforts.
Florida already has their own league:
http://www.hometeamsonline.com/teams/?u=MetroHooligan&s=soccer&t=c
LikeLike
Florida may have their own league and from the looks of the website, it seems like it has some really good potential, but being successful ultimately means making money for the owners. Right now, the teams in Texas of the PDL have fan bases and some soccer-specific stadiums. This is the difference as I see it. But, Florida has just as good of a chance to be successful as a pro league as does Texas with the right investment groups and marketing efforts. As of now, I would say neither Texas or Florida can be called a successful pro league.
LikeLike
i dunno about Texas havin’ it’s own league, that seems like a stretch. but take the strongest teams from Texas and then add San Diego, Phoenix, Albuquerque and Oklahoma and that would be a damn fine West Division for USL or NASL…
LikeLike
A sanctioned league has to have at least one team in 3 different time zones. If the USSF would remove this ridiculous rule then this would be a great idea for a D3 league. The U.S. should have regional D3 leagues, at least 4, and Texas is big enough to have one of its own!
LikeLike
Texas does have it’s own soccer league at present: the PDL Mid South Division. My understanding is that Laredo and El Paso have some professional (paid) players on their roster, so I guess it is semi-pro.
The nice thing about a regional league is road-trips for away fans are possible, though people in Texas aren’t taking much advantage of that.
LikeLike
If we didn’t have national and political restrictions then this would be a dream league to me. But, unfortunately it will never happen.
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?p=19357610
There’s a lot of hope in my circles of Austin going NASL so that a San Antonio franchise could happen and then instant derby! They are only an hour away.
But as interesting as the idea, I hesitate to encourage Texans. There’s enough of them that think they are already their own country and I don’t care to travel around in it much. Culturally, this state should ideally be 3-5 other states. I escaped East Texas and now live comfortable in the People’s Republic of Austin. Otherwise, I’m outta here.
Also, don’t forget about TV revenue. Having the possibility of opponents with 5-12K fans vs 2-5K fans is a big difference in being able to pay players. And I’m sure that Fox Soccer Channel gig last season was a nice league dividend. Here’s hoping that FSC will renew whatever becomes of our leagues..
LikeLike
Well, if Texas ever seceeded from the US, they would have a good foundation for a new soccer league. And could you imagine their national team? Probably on par with Honduras or something.
LikeLike
Actually, an even better idea is for TX soccer to “secede” and join the Mexican leagues (not sure what the equivalent league would be – Primera?) – the biggest draws for games in Austin has been when we’ve hosted friendlies between Mexican teams, such as the Toluca/America game and Cruz Azul vs Tigres. If the “other” American leagues wanted to play us (which they would), they’d have a great selection of U.S. cities visit playing against top-flight Mexican teams – this would improve the teams on both sides of the border. Aztex is already also affiliated with Monterrey, so the connections are already made for them, at least. Let’s be honest – if the Aztex played as a Mexican team (heck, we have Canadian MLS teams), we would pull in the strongest and most loyal soccer fan base in the US – when the Mexican national team played in Dallas, they drew 82,000 fans!!! Take that, MLS!
LikeLike
What tomc3 says!
Actually, I’m looking forward to another exhibition against the Dynamo this spring. That was a great game last year, a lot of traveling orange drove from Houston to Austin, probably some 500. So, I hope it’s the start of a yearly match, or until San Antonio can get a club.
Up the Raw!
Come on you Aztex!
LikeLike
“Starting their own league and pulling their resources together without the middle man would create more possible revenue from new franchises and all other marketing efforts.”
Just like that! Because, in Fanboy World, there is no reality necessary! You start leagues and revenue comes rolling in!
LikeLike
now it’s REALLY time to start considering this, especially if there is a lump of coal in our USL-1 stocking this year.
LikeLike
to bad none of the AD in the Division 1 Colleges have any faith in mens soccer.
LikeLike