Austin Stampede News Release - www.austinfcsoccer.com
Friday, November 9, 2007
AUSTIN, TX -- Austin sports corporation, Austin FC LLC, has announced the acquisition of a franchise for the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League in the Greater Austin area. The Austin Stampede will begin play in the 2008 season of the USL PDL.
Other USL PDL clubs in Texas are the new Houston Leones, the Laredo Heat, the DFW Tornado, and the El Paso Patriots. The season schedule will also likely pit the Stampede against teams from Louisiana and Mississippi.
"The Austin Stampede will immediately begin interviews for hiring a coach," said club President and General Manager David Markley, adding that the team will conduct player tryouts beginning in January 2008. “This team will represent the entire Austin soccer community. The management, the coaches, the players, the fans, local clubs, and local media are all included as stakeholders in the team’s success on behalf of Central Texas.”
The new coach will be introduced at a function for local soccer players, clubs, coaches and media in December.
The Premier Development League is the launching pad for many Major League Soccer players in the US and professional teams in other countries. PDL games feature some of the most talented and ambitious young players seen on soccer fields anywhere in the world. In 2007, thirty-three former players from the USL Premier Development League were selected in the Major League Soccer SuperDraft, with five players chosen in the first round, including the third overall pick.
“The PDL is fast, tough, aggressive action,” comments Stampede Vice President Hugh Bender. “The Austin area has some of the finest soccer talent in the country, and we plan to field the most fun, competitive live soccer that fans have ever seen in Austin.”
The club replaces the former Austin Lightning franchise that is not returning to the league.
Austin FC , LLC is owned and operated by Austin businessmen David Markley, MS - President, HughBender, MA – Vice President , Marketing and Operations, and David Day, MA- Vice President Communication and Public Relations.
Mr Markley is Director of Engineering for an Austin technology company. Mr. Bender co-owns a geospatial mapping company that conducts projects for state, local and federal entities. Mr Day owns a consulting business that works internationally helping large corporations prepare for a variety of external communication activities.
The largest organization of elite-level soccer leagues in North America, United Soccer Leagues is dedicated to growing the sport at the grassroots level in every community. The USL has provided a platform for thousands of players to reach their dreams since 1986. This vision and commitment to develop a soccer nation by fans, investors, administrators, coaches, and players has created the foundation for the growth of the sport, while presenting affordable, exciting family entertainment in over 100 cities and towns on the continent.
The USL Premier Development League season consists of 16 games in a schedule beginning in May and running through July. Eight of the games will be played at home. Included in the Stampede’s season, will be qualifying matches for the 2008 US Open Cup Tournament. That top tournament in US Soccer is unique in American sporting competition, in that it allows minor league teams to compete with the sport’s best major league clubs for an equal chance to win soccer’s top prize in the country, the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Trophy. Austin Fans will be able to see hot competition in rounds leading up to the US Open Cup Playoffs.
