Austin FC Match Day
When Austin FC plays, we're ready. Here's how we go supporting.
Important Information for Match Day
With 34 regular season matches, pre-season, post-season, the Open Cup, and international friendlies, we're going to have a very busy February to December in 2021 supporting Austin FC. We are ready – but let's compare notes. Here's some information of interest.
Home Matches
Austin Anthem has spent months planning and preparing how to support our Austin FC when they are at home. Before each match at McKalla we will publish information concerning:
- The full schedule on the day with advice on when to leave, where to park, and what special happenings are – umm – happening
- Activities and events, both around the stadium and with our partners throughout the city
- What To Bring: We’ll give you the heads up on what you will need to participate in the various themes and causes throughout our inaugural season!
- What not to bring. Austin Anthem will have approval to bring in and store certain items at the stadium such as large flags, banners, music equipment, and Home Depot-ish supplies needed for it all. We'll let you know about distribution points for collecting and using items for supporter participation
- Variations to the songs and chants. As we build our traditions, we want to ensure that our songs and chants reflect the diversity of Austin’s musical and soccer background. We’ll have printed and online versions available for the Supporter Section – and beyond!
- Info on post-match celebrations. . . or sometimes commiseration
Away Matches
Our first regular season match in club history is probably going to be on the road! We also anticipate at least seventeen other away matches. Since there are only two other MLS clubs within a four hour drive, we have two sets of plans.
Road Trips
We'll be organizing travel caravans, buses, plans, SpaceX rockets – whatever we can get to move supporters all about the U.S. and Canada to support our team when they play away.
Away Watch Party Events
We've been working with partners to ensure we have watch locations available to supporters all over the Austin area. With the multi-year lead-up to 2021, we've gotten really good at watch parties and making sure the club feels the love – no matter where they're playing the match.
We'll have more details on this in the new year.
Songs, Chants, & Cheers
The Hymnal
On January 15, 2019, at the Announcement making Austin FC officially the 27th team of Major League Soccer, Austin Anthem debuted the first club chants, some already becoming standards like: "Alright, Alright, Alright" and "Dale Dale Austin." The event also marked the debut of our now-iconic Austin FC bombo. These songs were the first of many – for all supporters – and we look forward to singing these and many more in the stands with y'all.
Music is Austin
One of the reasons we picked "Austin Anthem" to represent the Supporters Group for all of Austin was that communal connection to music. We are collectively the "Song of Our City." We look forward to hearing many different sounds, songs, and chants and are actively planning to make sure that happens. It doesn't matter if you can't sing or never have played an instrument. If you're passionate, we'll help take care of the rest.
If want to help us build the set lists and create music for match day along with other supporters, please join our Organizational Team, or just drop us a note. We'll be holding socially-distanced song, chant, and cheer workshops regularly in 2021.
Travel
Major League Soccer covers a lot of cities and Austin FC will be traveling to them all. We've been in talks with the club and partners on fun and economical ways we can bring large groups of supporters to away games. We're looking into travel discounts and packages, as well as group voting on what key cities and matches we want to try and attend in person.
A Network of Grackles
With Austin Anthem members all over the country (and the world), it's also an exciting opportunity to meet more members in person and get their recommendations and suggestions on how best to experience their fine city.
Hotline to Supporters Nationwide
Austin Anthem is the Independent Supporters Council member for Austin. The organization is a collective of supporters groups across the soccer pyramid. This has allowed us to build relationships and share information with other supporters groups – something that comes in handy when you need some recommendations on where to go and what to do when traveling to an SGs city to take 3-points from their team.
Away Supporters
…Except for 90-Minutes
Austin is a great city. You know that; so do supporters from other cities. In conversations, Austin is a top-destination for groups from other cities to come to. We want everyone who visits Austin – no matter who they support – to have a good time and feel welcome. The exception will be the 90-minutes we stuff them into a corner of McKalla - then it's on!
Before the start of the season, we'll be publishing an "Away Supporters Guide" highlighting locations and recommendation while they are here.
While some supporters groups are blood enemies with their rival SGs, we'd prefer to have great relationships with groups all over the country and save all that pent-up rivalry for during the match. Then afterwards, all get drinks together if we can.
Visiting Austin
If you are an Anthem member from out-of-town or a member or coordinator from another supporters group and want more information about coming to Austin, please reach out. We're happy to help.
We have a great Chili's on 45th and Lamar you should check out. We're kidding. We think?
How Match Day Planning Happens
Plan Ahead
Austin Anthem has been collaborating with the front office for years on what match day might look like, what features the supporters section should have, and more topics related to creating the environment and atmosphere. More recently, we've been part of committee conversations with other supporters on what the specifics should look like come 2021. This means discussions and a need for agreement and consensus on what banners to hang, what songs to sing, what to do when Austin FC scores, and more.
Projects
In addition to all this, our organziational team has a Match Day committee to work on our contributions to the supporter experience. These fall into a few main areas:
- TIFO and Banners - Creative artistic expressions of support ranging from flags to decorating equipment
- Rituals and Event Planning - Planning marches, events before the match, and the operational logistics of hanging 120-feet of TIFO banner.
- Travel Planning
- and of course Chants, Cheers, and Song workshopping
Join Us!
Interested in helping us create the best match day experience in all of MLS? Reach out and join our going team of volunteer supporters.
Code of Conduct
Austin Anthem represents our club and our city by reflecting and embodying the qualities that make Austin the place we love and call home. Austin Anthem seeks to create a match day experience that is welcoming for all.
Membership in Austin Anthem is governed by the Austin Anthem Code of Conduct.