Texas has no shortage of professional sports teams. Between Houston, Dallas and San Antonio, there are two NFL teams, two MLB teams, three NBA teams, one WNBA team, an NHL team, and a few soccer teams to boot.
But until fairly recently, Austin had no major league sports team of its own, making it something of an anomaly among large Texas cities and the U.S. more broadly.
That changed in 2019 when Major League Soccer expanded, and Austin got a team. Two years later, Austin FC kicked off its first season in the brand new Q2 Stadium, where goals are met with raucous cheers, some jubilantly tossed beers and — my personal favorite — billowing green smoke. (KUT even has a ¡Vamos Verde! podcast that explores the culture of Austin FC. It's hosted by Jimmy Maas and Juan Garcia. Check it out!)
You can catch Austin FC games during the MLS season, which typically runs from February through October, not including the playoffs.
Q2 has parking. Public transit options include taking the bus or the CapMetro Rail to McKalla Station, which is right next to the stadium. There is also a free bike valet.
If you’re looking to formalize your fandom, Los Verdes is the Austin FC supporters group.
But if soccer isn’t your thing, Austin FC is far from the only game in town. Here’s a breakdown of the sports landscape in Austin from the minor league to college teams.
Texas Longhorns
First things first: I am not a UT Austin alum. I attended a tiny liberal arts college where I went to a couple of women’s rugby practices before quitting to join my college radio station and never looked back. But these days, I own more burnt orange shirts than I could have ever dreamed.
So, whether you’re one of the Texas Exes or you’re more of a newcomer to college sports fandom, like me, here are a few things to know about UT’s sports teams:
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the athletics program is a financial powerhouse. The program had a record-setting $271 million in operating revenue during fiscal year 2023, according to records that USA TODAY obtained. The figure was “the largest single-year total since the NCAA began its current financial reporting system in 2005,” the Austin American-Statesman reported.
UT Austin is also home to one of the highest-paid college football coaches in the country. Head Coach Steve Sarkisian got a raise earlier this year that bumped his salary to more than $10 million per year through the remainder of his contract, which ends in 2030.
Texas is now part of the Southeastern Conference or SEC. The change became official in July and marked a big move for the university, which was a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.
The university’s final season in the Big 12 was marked by a whole lot of success, including winning a record 15 Big 12 conference titles.
Remember that aforementioned pay bump for Sark? It came after Texas beat Oklahoma State to win the Big 12 Football Championship before losing 31-37 in the College Football Playoff.
Like football, Texas Women's Basketball also ended its final year in the Big 12 on a high note. The team capped off an incredible 33-win season by defeating Iowa State 70 to 53 to win its last Big 12 tournament.
The Longhorns were a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Women’s Basketball tournament in 2024. The last time that happened was 2004.
NBA superstar and former Longhorn Kevin Durant is among the thousands of fans who came to the Moody Center in Austin to watch the team play in the tournament.
“His No. 35 is what my All-American Madison Booker ... wears, so it was very special for him to come to Austin to see us play,” Women’s Basketball Head Coach Vic Schaefer said. “I’ve got a No. 35 that’s pretty special as well, and we’ll have a chance to rewrite several of the record books here at Texas.”
Schaefer said he is hopeful the team can continue to build on the momentum from the 2023-2024 season and the national attention women’s basketball has been getting to draw more fans to the Moody Center during the regular season.
“When we got [to Austin] in 2021, attendance was struggling, to say the least, but I’m really proud of where we’ve been able to build this thing and build our attendance, and our fans mean so much to us,” he said.
Schaefer added that if people come to one Texas women’s basketball game, they’re going to be hooked.
“Anybody that comes to see our kids play when they walk out of the arena, they go ‘hey that was fun, that team plays really hard, they’re exciting and we’re coming back,’” he said. “If I can ever just get you to come one time, I always feel like we’re going to get you as a season ticket holder.”
Dozens of national titles:
Two Texas teams won national titles during the 2023-2024 season.
Texas Volleyball is another dominant team expected to continue its reign in the SEC. The team joins the league with five previous national titles under its belt — including two consecutive National Championships in 2022 and 2023.
After winning the 2024 National Championship, Texas Rowing became one of only three programs nationwide to win three NCAA titles within four years.
Altogether, between 1949 and 2024, the University of Texas has won 66 national championships.
A few other highlights from a late-in-life Longhorns fan:
- If you’re seeing a football game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and it’s hot outside, stay hydrated because you will most likely be getting a lot of sun!
- Bevo, a Texas Longhorn steer, is the live mascot for UT athletics. And according to the university, there have been more than a dozen Bevos.
- UT’s costumed mascot is named “Hook ‘Em.”
- The Hook ‘Em Horns hand symbol has been around since 1955.
You will likely hear the UT school song at games and other university events. That song — "The Eyes of Texas" — has faced opposition in recent years from some students because of its origins. The song was first “debuted in a racist setting,” according to research a university committee conducted in 2020. While the committee found the song was first performed at a minstrel show in 1903, it remains UT's official song.
Minor league teams
Austin is home to several minor league teams.
The Round Rock Express is the old-timer of the bunch. It has called the Dell Diamond home since baseball hall-of-famer Nolan Ryan bought and moved the team to the Austin-area way back in 2000. They are currently the Texas Rangers AAA affiliate but have changed affiliations between the Houston Astros and Rangers through the years. The season runs from late March to September.
Austin FC also has a reserve team, Austin FC II in the MLS Next Pro division. The team plays at Parmer Field and the tickets are $10.
My personal favorite is the Texas Stars. The team is part of the American Hockey League affiliate for the National Hockey League’s Dallas Stars.
The Texas Stars play at the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park. Since launching during the 2009-2010 season, the team has seen its fandom grow. John Peterson, the Texas Stars’ manager of broadcasting and media relations, said the team has seen consistent crowds since their first season.
“Recently in the last couple of seasons, coming out of COVID, we’ve had record attendances," he said We’ve had a record number of sellouts the last two years as well as a record average attendance the last two seasons."
Peterson said both casual and more avid hockey fans will find a lot to enjoy about how well the Texas Stars and their opponents play.
“So as the Triple-A affiliate of the Dallas Stars we have several bonafide, top tier prospects that Dallas has drafted or signed and wants to develop so that they can work their way up and eventually make it to the Dallas Stars,” he said.
I am definitely in the casual hockey fan camp, and there are a few reasons I love Texas Stars games. First, the tickets are fairly affordable, and they even offer deals where tickets come with a free hotdog and soda, which, for me, is a pretty unbeatable combination. And, aside from the hockey itself, there is a lot of entertainment between periods.
Do you like stadium-wide sing-alongs, coupons dropped from a small indoor blimp and a mascot inspired by a member of the raccoon family? Then this is the live sporting experience for you. Ringo — the Texas Stars mascot — is a ringtail, which is native to Texas. Peterson said Ringo’s popularity transcends Central Texas.
“He’s won the mascot of the year in the AHL three years in a row, so that shows you how popular he is league-wide,” he said.
And Ringo has really earned that recognition. I’ve seen him display a Job-like patience while dealing with excited children and the ringtail once gave me a nuggie after a game. Dreams do come true.
The Texas Stars also offer something I find essential to Austin sports fandom: coupons to Pluckers, or should I say “coop-ons.” When the words “Plucker’s Power Play” flash on the video screen high above the rink, you better believe I’m especially invested in the Texas Stars scoring. Whether the team gets a “W” or not, I feel like a winner walking out of the stadium with a coupon for wings in hand. So really there’s something for everyone from longtime hockey fans to wing enthusiasts.
Austin Spurs:
Confession time: While I have been to San Antonio Spurs games, I have not been to see the Austin Spurs. The team is part of the NBA G League — the minor league for the National Basketball Association. Like the Texas Stars, their home base is also Cedar Park.
Location: H-E-B Center
Season and tickets: The NBA G League season runs from November through April. More information about tickets for Austin Spurs games can be found on the team's website.
Other teams in the Austin
Austin Outlaws
The Austin Outlaws were established in 2001. The semi-professional program is one of the longest-running, full contact women’s football teams in the U.S., according to KUT.
Location: All home games are played at House Park, 1301 Shoal Creek Blvd.
Season and tickets: The season typically runs from spring to early summer. Tickets can be purchased on the team's website.
Austin Valkyries
The Austin Valkyries is a women’s rugby club, founded in 1991.
Location: Huns Rugby Ranch, 4107 Nixon Lane.
Season and tickets: The team is participating in tournaments throughout the summer.
Texas Smoke
The Texas Smoke, which is part of the Women’s Professional Fastpitch League, is fairly new to Austin. The softball team launched its first season in June 2023.
Location: Texas State's Bobcat Softball Stadium located at 225 Charles Austin Drive, San Marcos.
Season and tickets: The 2024 season began June 20 and ends Aug. 11.
Austin Rise
Austin Rise FC is a semi-professional women’s soccer team that was founded in 2022. The 100% women-owned club joined the Women’s Premier Soccer League in 2023.
Location: All home games are played at House Park, 1301 Shoal Creek Blvd.
Season and tickets: The season runs from May to July. Tickets can be found through the team's website.
Texas Roller Derby
Texas Roller Derby is made up of a handful of teams. They include, for example, the Holy Rollers, Hellcats, Putas Del Fuego, Cherry Bombs and Rhinestones. The league is skater-owned and operated and has been around for more than two decades. Skaters, who range in age from 21 to 45, have derby names like “Feared Al,” “Assault & Vinegar,” and “Scrapegoat.”
Location: 2024 bouts will be held at the TXRD Thunderdome, the Palmer Events Center or the Travis County Expo Center.
Season and tickets: The 2024 regular season began in February and ends in August with the playoffs in September, followed by the Cavello Cup in November. There are one to two bouts per month.
The Texas Rollergirls
The Texas Rollergirls say they created “Flat Track Derby” in Austin back in 2003. There are four home teams and one all-star travel team with players from each. Those teams are Hell Marys, Honkytonk Heartbreakers, Hotrod Honeys and Hustlers.
Location: Home games are held at the Austin Sports Center, 425 Woodward St.
Season and tickets: The 2024 season began on March 16 and the home team championships are scheduled for Sept. 21. Tickets can be found on the team's Brown Paper Ticket page.
Austin Torch
The Austin Torch is a women’s ultimate frisbee team that competes in the South Division of the Premier Ultimate League.
Location: Home games are held at the Texas School for the Deaf.
Season and Tickets: The 2024 season began April 7 and ended on June 8.
Austin Sol
The Austin Sol is a professional ultimate frisbee team that was founded in 2016. It’s part of the Ultimate Frisbee Association — a league with 24 teams.
Location: Home games are held at The Pitch, 13000 Harris Ridge Blvd.
Season and tickets: The 2024 season began on May 3 and ends on July 20. Tickets can be found on the team's website.
Austin Gamblers
The Austin Gamblers are the city’s first-ever professional bull riding team, that is part of the PBR, or Professional Bull Riders, Inc. The league has 10 teams. The gamblers are two-time regular season champions.
Location: Moody Center
Season and tickets: PBR Gambler Days will be held Aug. 23 to 25. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.
