Austin FC is legit. Alright?
While the product on the field is promising (but admittedly remains a work in progress), it is clear that Austin FC has created an environment and a culture off the field that is as unique as the city it represents. In Saturday’s scoreless draw with the San Jose Earthquakes, the first match ever played at Austin FC’s Q2 Stadium, the club’s supporters showcased a little bit of intimidation, a lot of volume and plenty of pageantry – all mixed with a healthy dose of weird.
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And it was led by Matthew McConaughey, the most dapper of mascots to ever grace an MLS pitch.
Watch the whole drum action from Matthew McConaughey here.
Dressed in an apt green suit, McConaughey looked to be the missing part of a festive mariachi band. With a bongo drum strapped around his torso, McConaughey remained fully clothed while banging out a chant with Austin FC’s supporters.
It was goosebump stuff and another sign of how far soccer culture has come in MLS. Thank you Seattle Sounders fans, for introducing us to this concept.
(snark, snark)
For a club with no real history in a city with no professional soccer history – or a professional sports history at all – Saturday night was a showcase, an unleashing of the potential of Austin FC to tap into a unique culture. A city dominated by the dualities of Texas Longhorns football and a vibrant arts and music culture brought all that from the stands.
Q2 Stadium was loud, rockingly so. It was also festive and fun. And frankly, in its first game Austin FC has already put a number of other MLS venues to shame.
It was a wonderful evening, even if the score line wasn’t gracious to the home side. Q2 Stadium was screaming for a goal, seemingly willing on the verde as they piled attack upon attack in the match’s opening 75 minutes. For long stretches, Austin FC was the better side in the first ever match at their new stadium, but a goal was not forthcoming.
Concerns? There shouldn’t be any for Austin FC or head coach Josh Wolff.
Plenty to buzz about? Absolutely. This club came into MLS immediately hated for reasons that should be obvious to anyone who has followed the league over the past five years. But Austin FC doesn’t seem to care about that, and they found a unique way to represent a city that openly embraces their alternative side like few others in the world.
Austin is weird, and they kept a bit of that flowing throughout the match.
But it is clear that Austin FC has something special in the mix. Something that will make the wait for that first goal quite worthwhile.
Follow Kristian Dyer of ‘MLS Multiplex‘ on Twitter @KristianRDyer