Batters Up
Former MLB All-Star Brandon Phillips brings The Smoke to Austin as the city's first pro softball team
Brandon Phillips and professional wrestling champion Jade Cargill own a new softball team that will call Roberts Family Field home.
A new professional sports team is stepping up to the plate in Austin. The Women’s Professional Fastpitch softball league will plant one of its four teams, the Texas Smoke, in Austin beginning with the upcoming 2023 season.
The Smoke will settle into their home at Concordia University’s Roberts Family Field with their first game coming June 15. The regular season runs until August 7. Both the Smoke and the university will collaborate on the game-day experience, including tailgating.
As they arrive in Austin, the Smoke becomes the second professional sports team in town. They’ll have current Howard University head coach Tory Tyson at the helm for their first season.
The new franchise brings together some notable owners: former Major League Baseball second baseman and three-time All-Star Brandon Phillips, and his partner in life and business, professional wrestling champion Jade Cargill.
“I knew from the start we needed a top-tier professional facility and environment for our players,” said Phillips in a press release. “After meeting with the Concordia team, I knew they were the best partner to provide a home for our inaugural season.”
"We are thrilled to welcome the Texas Smoke to Concordia University Texas," said university president and CEO Dr. Donald Christian. "We are proud to support a team providing a platform for professional women's sports. We hope their presence on our campus will inspire our students and the wider community to pursue their passions and break down barriers. We cannot wait to see what the Texas Smoke accomplishes and look forward to cheering them on!"
