Austin’s soon-to-be Major League Soccer team is stepping up its marketing efforts with the launch of the Austin FC Experience Center. Prospective ticket buyers will get a front row seat to the $200 million-plus stadium that is yet to be built near the Domain.
“We’re going to show a scale model of what the stadium is going to look like, and we have this amazing VR experience which takes people right into the stadium itself,” said Tom Webb, vice president of public relations and broadcast for Austin FC.
The 360-degree virtual tour shows off plans for a pitch-level club and locker room entrance (something that might sound familiar to Dallas Cowboy fans), as well as suites and an entertainment pavilion.
During the tours, which are by appointment, soccer fans can see how cool the stadium might be – with shaded seating and construction that allows air to circulate.
Webb says the team's parent company, Two Oak Ventures, and the lead architect, Gensler, paid extra attention to ventilation and shade.
“That’s an obvious factor for us to take into consideration because of the heat and humidity here,” he said. "Ensuring the supporters and everyone in the stadium is having the best possible experience was right at the top of the list.”
Fans interested in suites are already able to take the tour. Everyone who has placed a ticket deposit will have the opportunity to schedule a visit. Eventually, the team anticipates all fans might have a chance to visit the stadium before the actual stadium is complete in 2021.
The stadium will be cashless and have something Webb calls “frictionless ticketing." Details on the ticket process will be released closer to the opening.
The team is expected to break ground on the stadium this fall. Last month, it announced the hiring of Josh Wolfe, assistant coach for the U.S. Men's National Team, as head coach.
