Written By: Caleb Yum
Source: Austin American-Statesman
Summer tends to be a slow time in the sports world. With the Texas Longhorns being the center of attention for most Austinites, their offseason means that sports tend to fade into the background, even with Austin FC in the middle of its season.
However, several other professional sports teams are active right now. They might not have the fan base that UT or the MLS has, but if you’re looking for a summer activity, attending one of these teams’ games is a great way to discover a new sport.
Here are six professional teams in the area that you might never have heard of:
Texas Team (rugby)
That’s right — rugby isn’t just for the British. In fact, on Saturday, the Premier Rugby Sevens league will kick off its second consecutive season at Q2 Stadium.
The games are seven-on-seven instead of the traditional 15. This results in fast-paced, hectic games that last a mere 14 minutes, with seven-minute halves, due to the intensity of it all. Games will be played in a tournament-style format, with multiple ones throughout the day.
The Texas Team will be the host, wearing orange and slate gray. Ticket prices range from $20 to $30.
Texas Smoke (softball)
The newest sports team in Austin, the Smoke, are making their debut this week in Women’s Professional Fastpitch, the only professional softball league in the country.
The team is being launched by former major league baseball infielder Brandon Phillips, who played most of his career with the Cincinnati Reds, and his wife, pro wrestler Jade Cargill. The Smoke opened a three-game series Thursday night against the USSSA Pride at Concordia University Texas. Friday’s and Saturday’s games will start at 6:30 p.m. Tickets range from $10 for general admission to $20 for premium seats.
More:Professional dreams not going up in smoke for Janae Jefferson, other softball players
Austin Gamblers (bull riding)
One of the eight members of the Professional Bull Riders Team Series resides in Austin. The Gamblers have been around since 2022, though they do not have any events scheduled soon in Austin. They and the other PBR teams are featured in a bull riding documentary called “The Ride” on Amazon Prime.
Their next Austin-based event will be the PBR Gambler Days at Moody Center on Aug. 25-27.
More:Austin Gamblers in spotlight for Amazon Prime Video’s new documentary series ‘The Ride’
Austin Outlaws (women’s football)
Football season is not over, contrary to popular belief. The Outlaws are a full-contact women’s football team in the Women’s Football Alliance, which has 60 teams nationwide.
The Outlaws, who play their home games at House Park, are celebrating their 22nd year of existence in 2023. They’re preparing for their first-round playoff game on the road June 24 against the Nebraska Pride.
Austin Weirdos (baseball)
With a name gleaned from the city’s “Keep Austin Weird” slogan, the Weirdos are a pro baseball team in the independent Pecos League. The teams primarily play in desert cities in California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, southern Arizona, Kansas, West Texas and Colorado.
The Weirdos are one of the newest teams in the league, having been founded in 2022. Their next home game will be June 30 at Parque Zaragosa. Tickets are $10.
Austin Sol (ultimate frisbee)
The Sol was formed in 2016 and is part of the American Ultimate Disc League. For those who don’t know, ultimate frisbee (ultimate for short) is sort of a combination of football and basketball but with a disc instead of a ball.
Austin has a 5-3 record this season with plenty of games to play. Prices at the gate are $15 for adults, $12 for kids 10-17 and free for children under 10. The Sol’s next home game will be July 1 at Westlake High School’s Chaparral Stadium.
Austin Torch (ultimate frisbee)
Formed in 2018, the Torch is Austin’s professional women’s ultimate team. As a 501(c)3 non-profit, community-funded organization, they are dedicated to creating equitable opportunities for women in the ultimate scene.
It’s in its fifth year and is one of the founding members of the Premier Ultimate League, made up of 12 teams across the United States. Though the 2023 season has ended, the Torch usually play home games at St. Edward’s University – Lewis Chen Soccer Field. They play a six-game season with three home games between April and June.
