I guess we should go ahead and start a USL thread apart from the Austin FC/COTA threads.
First item of business, name the team, coach, players, and kits
Second item, sign a top-flight ... track athlete?
Usain Bolt in negotiations to join new USL Austin franchise
22 hours ago
By
Chris Bils, American-Statesman Correspondent
The United Soccer League franchise in Austin has a seat at the negotiating table with Usain Bolt.
The World’s Fastest Man has been eyeing a career in professional soccer, and Austin is on a short list of teams ready to make it happen. Bolt’s agent, Ricky Simms, told Brazilian media outlet Globo Esporte on Thursday that the race is between USL Austin and the Central Coast Mariners in Australia.
“The Australian team is in a better position than we are,” USL Austin general manager Roberto Silva told the Statesman. “Financially, our proposal is far away from the one (Bolt) has over there. I think we beat them on all other aspects of the proposal besides the financial one, and we have our sponsorship team at this moment trying to meet with some local sponsors that could bring us very, very close to having him.”
The parties have been negotiating for several months. Silva said the offer to Bolt is a long-term contract that extends beyond soccer. The idea would be to make him an icon and spokesperson for the new team, for the city of Austin and “sports overall in the U.S.” But, Silva admitted, “maybe he’s worth more than the (USL) franchise.”
Reports surfaced last week that USL side Las Vegas Lights FC was interested in signing Bolt, but that the cost would likely be too high.
Bolt, 31, retired last year after a sprinting career that included nine gold medals. He remains the world record holder at 100 and 200 meters and a global celebrity. The Jamaican said often throughout his career that he would aim to make a transition to soccer, and that his dream is to one day play for Manchester United/
He appeared in Austin last fall for the United States Grand Prix, where the British media peppered him with questions about his soccer ambitions.
A career at the top level in Europe remains a long shot, but he’ll have to start somewhere. Silva said USL Austin wants to be that place.
“Bolt is an icon. It’s very confident and aggressive of him to leave come out of being the best track and field athlete in the history of the sport, and leave that and say, ‘Hey, I’m going to be one of the best in another sport,’” Silva said. “It’s very bold, if I may. That’s the attitude we want from our franchise.”
The team will announce its brand, coach and several players at a press conference Aug. 3 at Circuit of the Americas. Silva said it is unlikely a deal with Bolt could be reached by then.
The team currently has verbal agreements with eight players, and Silva expects “three to five” will be present at the unveiling. Some are still on contract with other teams and won’t be announced until the end of their respective seasons.