Austin Bold FC Owner Keeps USL Franchise Despite Fateful Year

Austin Bold FC Owner Bobby Epstein is "keeping his USL Championship franchise through 2021 and perhaps beyond," according to Chris Bils of the AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN. But Bils wonders, "Why, on the heels of a season derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic and heading into another in which his club will play second fiddle to the city's long-awaited first major league sports team, is Epstein trudging forward with Austin Bold FC?" So far, the "allure of owning a team has kept him from taking whatever payout he could get for the franchise on the open market." Bold Stadium has been a "welcome addition to the growing list of attractions at Circuit of the Americas," of which Epstein remains Chair. He hopes a mix of location -- COTA is about 15 miles southeast of Austin, while the new Austin FC stadium is 10 miles northwest -- and affordable tickets "will sustain an audience for second division soccer" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 10/15).