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Austin Elite are staying in Round Rock, but not at Dell Diamond. The team will play their home games during the 2020 Major League Rugby season at Round Rock Multipurpose Complex. Paul Santinelli is currently being employed as a consultant with AER and confirmed the change on the newest edition of the Supporters Podcast.
It’s a return to RRMPC for the Elite, who played their during the inaugural 2018 campaign. The move to Dell Diamond was meant to boost attendance but the cavernous baseball stadium proved an imperfect solution for the team in 2019. Attendance figures were unofficially the lowest in MLR while playing in the largest capacity venue in the league.
RRMPC’s modest capacity is less than a quarter that of Dell Diamond’s 11,600 but provides a more welcoming atmosphere for spectators. Another potential option was the new Bold Stadium, home of Austin’s professional soccer team, which houses 5,000. Given that average league attendance in 2019 hovered around 2,000, the more modest surroundings of RRMC seem more appropriate in the short-term while the team rebuilds.
The announcement also quells speculation that the team would be moving outside of greater Austin. Rumors had circulated about a potential relocation with Columbus and Las Vegas among those said to be interested, while AER Director of Rugby Todd Clever recently confirmed that San Antonio was being considered for at least some of the team’s home games in 2020. Austin played one match at Toyota Field in 2019 and could yet opt to return there for a one-off fixture in 2020.
