The forthcoming USL Austin club is waiting before it makes several soccer-related decisions, including an announcement on its branding.
In August, it was announced that Circuit of The Americas Chairman Bobby Epstein had purchased majority ownership of the Austin Aztex, allowing the USL to return to Austin. The plan is for the revived club to begin play in 2019 at a new soccer-specific venue at the Circuit of The Americas.
Leading up to the 2019 season, club officials will have to get their plans in order for the franchise. A branding announcement will be one component of that process, but club officials say that they are not yet ready to make that selection, and are holding off on any major soccer-related decisions until after Circuit of The Americas hosts a Formula One race in October. More from The Austin American-Statesman
“We’ve got some time on the soccer, and it only makes sense to wait until after the F1 race, which is obviously our biggest event of the year,” COTA chairman and USL Austin majority owner Bobby Epstein told the Statesman on Saturday at the track.
Austin soccer blogger Jerome Cortinovis tweeted Monday that the name “Austin Bold FC” was trademarked by USL Austin official Roberto Pinto da Silva Jr.
Pinto da Silva Jr., special events coordinator at COTA, confirmed to the Statesman that he did obtain Austin Bold FC but cautioned not to read too much into it.
“This is one of about 40 names we want to consider,” he said. “At least half of those names already were registered in some way.
Once the club does begin play, it will mark the first time since 2015 that Austin is included in the USL’s regular season schedule.
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