a kick out of q2

Austin's new Q2 stadium voted best in the league by the pros

Austin FC piles up at Q2 Stadium after a goal

Austin set records this season, but another win is a great reputation among players across the league.

Photo courtesy of Austin FC

It turns out games aren’t the only thing you can win in Major League Soccer. Austin FC and Q2 Stadium really cleaned up. The MLS Players Association (MLSPA) announced choices made in the 2022 Player Voices Poll, some of which were especially flattering to Austin in the stadium’s first year-and-a-half open.

Q2 Stadium was the most popular venue across the league in response to two questions: “What is your favorite MLS stadium to play in?” and “Which MLS stadium has the best pitch?” The choice for the most “impactful [player] in supporting their community” was decisive — the players agreed on Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver for the second year in a row.

Austin FC was the second most popular club footballers would play for, given a choice, according to a release by Austin FC. The published poll results do not show this level of detail, nor even this particular question. It continues to award midfielder Diego Fagundez as the league’s second most underrated player (after Columbus Crew’s Darlington Nagbe), and Designated Player Sebastián Driussi the runner-up position for league MVP (after Nashville FC’s Hany Mukhtar).

In opposition to all the love for Q2, players chose the LAFC field at Banc of California as the venue with the best home-team advantage. This may come as some small validation for Austinites in the wake of Austin FC’s Conference Finals loss on this field on October 30. The poll also gave a nod to the National Women's Soccer League, naming San Diego Wave FC’s Alex Morgan as its best current player.

This is a fitting cap to Austin FC’s record-breaking season: the team sold out all of its home matches in 2022, including both regular season and playoff games. With more sold out matches last year, this brings the club to 36 sellouts in a row, “the longest active sellout streak in MLS.” The average attendance at an Austin FC game was 20,738, meaning nearly 750,000 seats filled during that streak.

Even though the soccer season is over, we won’t be without it for long. Re-entry drafts already started on November 17 (with Austin trading up to the top spot), and it’s only a matter of time before Austinites can keep that sellout streak going.

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Getting Deep

Popular Austin deep massage clinic opening new location near Westlake

Photo courtesy of AUSTINDEEP

AustinDeep is known for an intensive approach that gets results.

A gentle massage can be lovely, but some stressed Austinites need some extra oomph. They can get it at AustinDeep, a local massage clinic that specializes in a propriety technique called the Deep Method. There will soon be a third location in the Barton Creek neighborhood — the farthest outside of Austin and the largest so far.

The new location will be at 2700 Barton Creek Blvd., Ste. 110. It'll span 3,000 square feet at the Barton Creek Village, which is near the Barton Creek Country Club, St. Michael's Catholic Preparatory School, and the Barton Creek Greenbelt. This is a new market for the brand, since the existing two locations are relatively close to each other on Congress Ave and Lake Austin Boulevard.

Jessica Price AusitnDeep Masseuse Jessica Price developed a proprietary technique for AustinDeep.Photo courtesy of AUSTINDEEP

The Deep Method targets the fascia, the connective tissue that holds our muscles and other organs together. Ideally, the fascia should be flexible, but sometimes it gets tight from inactivity, overuse, or other issues, causing pain or soreness. When masseuse Jessica Price opened AustinDeep in 2002, she used her background in myofascial release — a very gentle technique — to create a new process that starts with a warming technique, and then adds in deep tissue and trigger point therapy.

The result is more rigorous and may leave clients sore afterwards. As AustinDeep practitioners explain, breaking up all that fascia is an intense workout, even though the therapist is doing much of the work. Price also learned from physical therapists, so this exacting approach that prioritizes results makes a lot of sense.

That might not sound relaxing (and fans of any intense massage techniques will confirm that they usually aren't), but the aftermath is where things start to open up. This clinic calls it getting "Massage Drunk."

Jessica Price AustinDeep Clients may leave feeling drunk.Photo courtesy of AUSTINDEEP

Despite a tough-love massage approach, the new location sounds cushy: There will be 10 therapy rooms with electric lift tables; a lounge with relaxing music and a bar for tea, wine, or even custom flower arrangements; a veranda to enjoy nootropic drinks (brain supplements) or wine; and a retail selection.

The interior design also reflects the departure from the potentially sterile massage clinic norm with lots of plants and jewel tones.

So far there is no opening date set, but AustinDeep is sharing updates when they're available on Instagram. Services start at $85 for 30 minutes. More information is available at austindeep.com.

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