City of Austin looking into possible Major League Soccer franchise

Austin residents may have something new to cheer about after Austin City Council approved a resolution looking into the feasibility of a Major League Soccer franchise locating in the city.

The resolution passed on the consent agenda on a vote of 6-0 with Mayor Lee Leffingwell off the dais.

The city manager was directed to looking into the feasibility of an MLS franchise coming to Austin as well as scoping out potential sites for league facilities.

One speaker from the community said he likes the idea of bring a MLS franchise to the city because he sees it as a way to engage the city's disadvantaged youth.

According to the approved resolution, the city's demographics support align well with soccer, pointing out that Austin's "rich diversity reflects soccer's global image."

Another motivation for the inquiry into the sport is that eight players from the Austin Aztex—the city's premier development league soccer team—have been drafted to MLS teams, and three of the first 11 picks in the 2013 draft were from the Aztex, according to the resolution.

The city manager also will take traffic and transit options and concerns when weighing possible league locations.