Sports

The Verde Report: Credit Where It’s Due

Playoff-bound Austin FC put together the season it needed in 2022


Fans celebrate during the Austin FC vs. LAFC match on Aug. 26 (Photo by Jana Birchum)

Way back in February, I argued in our Austin FC season preview issue that 2022 would go a long way toward cementing not only the popularity of the Verde and Black, but also the future of the city's sports culture for years to come. After a lackluster inaugural season on the pitch (despite an anything-but-lackluster season in the stands), the math was simple: Keep losing and risk turning Austin FC into a niche interest without wider appeal beyond the soccer die-hards in town; start winning and create a cultural phenomenon.

Well, here we are in October with a cultural phenomenon – and a playoff team – on our hands. And not just any playoff team: Austin FC, the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, is one of eight clubs who will host their first MLS Cup Playoffs matchup and one of four guaranteed to host a second-round match if victorious in round one. Tickets for the club's first-round match at Q2 Stadium went on sale last Friday and sold out within minutes – and that was with the date, time, and opponent all still TBD. As of Tuesday, the cheapest price to get in the door, after fees, was $214 on official resale. Want to be pitch-side? $1,800 was a "7.3 Great Deal" according to SeatGeek.

Not only has the successful season put Austin FC matches in high demand, it has elevated the strength of the Austin FC brand to new heights. Last week, the club unveiled an official Adidas Samba shoe featuring the club's Verde and Black color scheme and its crest stitched onto tongue. According to a club source, Adidas tabbed Austin FC to be the lone North American representative of an upcoming collection of club-specific sneakers featuring European giants like Juventus and Bayern Munich. Naturally, the shoes sold out locally on day one (but were still available online as of Tuesday). Anecdotally, I was playing pickup soccer over the weekend and overheard one Verde fan utter the stuff of a brand marketer's dream: "I don't even like Sambas, but I guess I have to have 'em."

It feels like a critical mass has been reached. Verde is Austin, Austin is Verde, and that's no longer at risk of changing anytime soon. The home playoff match – which could take place Saturday the 15th, Sunday the 16th, or Monday the 17th – looms like a destiny fulfilled. The potential was there from the beginning. Austin FC was and remains the only MLS club in a market without an NFL, NBA, MLB, or NHL franchise to compete against. It was and remains one of the only MLS clubs in a young, hip, multicultural city where brands explode like popcorn in the microwave.

Credit those within the club who rose to meet the moment and capitalize on the potential before it was too late. Credit Claudio Reyna, who oversaw the construction of a roster that, while far from perfect, has proven talented enough and deep enough to thrive over the course of a 34-game season. Credit Josh Wolff, who learned from a difficult 2021 season but never deviated from the brand of soccer he believes in, and now has a legitimate case for MLS Coach of the Year. Credit the players, led by MVP candidate Sebastián Driussi (another great call from the preview issue, if I do say so myself). And credit the club's marketing staff for constantly finding innovative ways to complement the on-field product with off-field swagger.

Sure, a fairy-tale run to an MLS Cup title would be the ultimate capper of an unforgettable year. But the truth is, Austin FC could lose in the first round and the season would still be an unmitigated success. The Verde train is officially chugging at full steam, and there's nothing in sight likely to slow it down.

Read more Austin FC coverage at austinchronicle.com/austin-fc.

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KEYWORDS FOR THIS STORY

Austin FC, The Verde Report, Claudio Reyna, Josh Wolff, Adidas Samba, MLS playoffs, Sebastian Driussi

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