Five Tips for a Fruitful Austin FC Experience

The supporters’ section at Q2 Stadium (Photo by John Anderson)

Enough with the Burnt Orange chitchat. Let's talk about the newest color in every Austinite's wardrobe, Verde (that's green to you weirdos who took French in high school). Around these parts, Verde is synonymous with men's fútbol club Austin FC, the city's first and (so far) only major league pro sports team.

Austin FC – or, alternatively, the Verde and Black, the Oaks, El Tree, the Leafy Chiefs (trust me on that last one) – can be found at Q2 Stadium near the Domain in North Austin, battling their way through Major League Soccer foes in front of 20,500 screaming and singing fans.

Want in? Follow these pro tips from "The Verde Report" author Eric Goodman, our resident footy expert, to avoid any rookie mistakes:

1) Not a soccer fan? Neither were most Central Texans less than two years ago, and look at them now. Give it a try ... you'll thank me later.

2) Join a supporters' group (that's Old English for "fan club"). Los Verdes and Austin Anthem are the heavy hitters, but there are others, like UT student org the Burnt Orange Brigade. It's less of a commitment than it sounds, and is the best way to not only make some Verde amigos, but also catch wind of cheap tickets that fellow supporters frequently offer up when plans change last minute ...

3) Because otherwise, it's gonna cost ya. Austin FC matches are quite popular, and Q2 Stadium is one-fifth the size of DKR Memorial Stadium. As you'll learn while getting that Business Foundations certificate, high demand plus low supply equals $$$$. The best way to work around this is either follow the above advice or keep a close eye on the SeatGeek app – the club's official ticketing service – in the days leading up to the game. Don't be afraid to wait until day-of for a good deal, especially in the south-end supporters' section. It's standing only there, but c'mon, you're young.

4) Soccer games are brief. Less than two hours, guaranteed, from kickoff until final whistle. Beat traffic and stay a while. Q2 Stadium is surrounded by several bars and breweries worth spending an hour at before and/or after games (even if the booze isn't an option for a few more years).

5) Keep reading! You're not going to go to (or even watch) every match, so let "The Verde Report" do it for you and keep you up to speed. Pick up the paper on Thursdays to read our weekly column, and subscribe to our newsletter at austinchronicle.com/newsletters to get match recaps, breaking news, and analysis delivered right to your pocket.