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Brad Stuver’s journey in becoming heart, soul of Austin FC

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Brad Stuver’s journey in becoming heart, soul of Austin FC


“Stuuuuuuuuuuuu,” the crowd at Q2 stadium echoed. 

It sounds like heckling. Almost a sudden booing noise every time he makes a save. 

But it’s only the opposite. 

It’s something you’ll probably hear a lot of in a week’s time when Austin FC’s beloved goalkeeper Brad Stuver makes his first-ever All-Star game appearance at home, in Austin, on July 23.

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In a sport where players’ prime years are seemingly getting younger and younger, Stuver, at the age of 34, shows that late bloomers are not a lost art. 

Selected in the second round of the 2013 Major League Soccer SuperDraft by the Montreal Impact, Stuver’s career would start with goalie turmoil. From 2013 to 2020, Stuver made a total of nine appearances for MLS clubs as an emergency pool goalkeeper. 

“I think it’s always in the back of your mind when you’re getting closer to 30 and you haven’t really been a consistent starter,” Stuver told The Athletic. “You’re always worried what the perception of you as a player is going to be in the eyes of (general managers) and head coaches.” 

However, all it takes is one opportunity, and in 2021, that opportunity arose. A new expansion team by the name of Austin FC was joining the league at the same time Stuver was a free agent. 

Stuver had a leg up on other goalies due to his relationships with two prominent figures of the club: head coach Josh Wolff and sporting director Claudio Reyna, both of whom have since left.

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He became a fan favorite immediately, winning over the hearts of fans after a solid first two seasons, including a run to the Western Conference final in the club’s second season.

“Last year validated everything that I thought over that eight, nine-year period when I came down here to Austin and got a chance to become a starter and kind of took it and ran with it,” Stuver told MLSsoccer.com. “I always knew that once I got my chance that I would be okay, that I would continue to push myself and make myself better, and all I needed was a chance. I’m glad that Austin saw that.”

While the club has failed to reach the playoffs since 2022, Stuver has remained a constant amidst the chaos and change surrounding the club, leading the league in saves in 2023 and 2024.

Austin has also been the perfect setting for Stuver off the pitch. In a city known for its cultural diversity, Stuver has had a platform to expand on his already vast resume of philanthropic work, including becoming a board member for the Equality Texas Foundation, the largest LGBTQ+ advocacy nonprofit in Texas.

“There’s always going to be resistance, no matter what you speak out against, whether it’s racial equality, gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights,” Stuver told The Athletic. “The Austin community, as a whole, has been extremely supportive. The club has been extremely supportive. It’s a really good thing when you know that you have the support of those people that surround you.”

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After years of waiting for a chance, Stuver has finally found a city in Austin where he can showcase the best of himself on and off the pitch, a place where he’s not afraid to be himself.

So, the next time you hear the crowd at Q2 stadium scream his name, remember that it’s not just a chant — it’s a product of the mutual connection forever instilled between him and the hearts of Austin FC supporters.



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Austin, TX

Building cleared after non-credible bomb threat made in Downtown Austin

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Building cleared after non-credible bomb threat made in Downtown Austin


A Downtown Austin building was cleared after a bomb threat was made Saturday night.

Police say that the call came in at 9:38 p.m., after which officers arrived to the scene and cleared a nearby building at 311 E 6th St.

ALSO: H-E-B delights Austin airport travelers with surprise gift vending machine pop-up

The threat was found to not be credible, and no one was injured.

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Police say no one is in custody and they will be clearing the scene shortly.



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Austin, TX

The richest small town in Texas tops our most popular Austin stories

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The richest small town in Texas tops our most popular Austin stories


Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Austin Mayor Kirk Watson held a press conference Friday to discuss a new deal with Southwest Airlines and its expected impact on the city.

The deal, approved Thursday by the Austin City Council, awards Southwest $2,750 for each new Austin-based hire over the next five years. In exchange, the airline plans to add 2,000 high-paying jobs with an average salary of $180,000 and invest in local workforce initiatives, including the city’s new Austin Infrastructure Academy.

Officials say the deal will strengthen Southwest’s presence at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, where the carrier already handles more than 40 percent of all passenger traffic.

The partnership is expected to bring in nearly $20 million in local tax revenue, and the incentive program will last for five years and pay Southwest up to $5.5 million.

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Mayor Watson said the agreement will not only create new jobs in Austin but will improve the overall experience at AUS.

“We’re building lives and careers at the same time we’re building tarmacs and terminals,” Watson said. “Southwest is choosing Austin because our people, our workforce, and our future make us a smart investment. This deal creates thousands of good-paying jobs, improves the passenger experience, and ensures the benefits flow directly to Austin workers, families, and tourists. This agreement is proof that Austin means business and cares about the success of its people.”

Read the full story at KVUE.com.



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Austin, TX

Austin, TX, Proves It’s a Ski Town at Ikon Pass Stoke Night – SnowBrains

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Austin, TX, Proves It’s a Ski Town at Ikon Pass Stoke Night – SnowBrains


Austin Loro Stoke
Austin skier Ricky Stillwell and his son are stoked to be heading to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Alyeska this coming season. | Photo: Bob Witowski

You might ask, “Why is there an Ikon Pass Stoke Event in Austin, Texas?” 

Fact: There are more skiers and snowboarders in Texas than in Colorado. According to a 2017 Snowsports Industry Association study, Texas is home to roughly 800,000 skiers and riders, compared to Colorado’s 500,000. That impressive number puts Texas third in the nation for total ski and snowboard participants, behind only California and New York. Texans alone make up about 6% of all U.S. ski and snowboarders. And the proof is on the slopes: Ski areas in Colorado and New Mexico report that a staggering 70% of their out-of-state visitors hail from the Lone Star State. Yes—the legend of Texans being everywhere on the mountain is absolutely true.

Fact: Every Texan who skis is a destination skier. With no local ski resorts that are a quick Cottonwood Canyon in Salt Lake City or short interstate drive away, Texans go big: they travel, stay longer, and spend more at Ikon Pass Destinations. As Kristin Rust, Vice President of Communications for Alterra Mountain Company, puts it, “Texas is a huge market, and Austin has a great number of pass holders.” With Ikon Pass offering such a wide network of resorts, and Texas home to so many skiers, Austin is a natural place for a Stoke Event.

This year’s Ikon Pass Stoke Event took place at Loro, the wildly popular South Lamar hangout blending Asian smokehouse flavors with laid-back Austin vibes. The gathering drew a lively crowd of local Ikon Pass holders. Guests enjoyed a spread of standout dishes—Oak-Grilled Edamame, Wonton Chips and Dip, Arugula & Melon Salad, and Oak-Smoked Brisket—paired with beer, wine, soft drinks, and Austin-meets-après cocktails like an Old Fashioned and, of course, the non-traditional slope-side margarita, a playful nod to Jimmy Buffett and the city where Margaritaville was written.

Austin Loro StokeAustin Loro Stoke
Adam, Kailee, and Darius leaning into the Austin ski vibe and good times at Loro in Austin. | Photo: Bob Witowski

Attendance was strong, and the outdoor, under-the-oaks setting added an easy, welcoming feel. The energy was high as skiers swapped plans for upcoming trips to Ikon Pass destinations including SkiBig3 in Banff, Jackson Hole, Killington, the six Utah resorts on the pass, and the perennial “home resorts” for Texans—those in Colorado and New Mexico. Members of Austin Skiers, the city’s long-standing ski and travel club, were out in force and buzzing about club trips to the Ikon Pass resorts of Snowmass, Mt. Bachelor, SkiBig3, and Steamboat.

Austin Loro Ikon Pass StokeAustin Loro Ikon Pass Stoke
Austin Skiers—Joyce, Ann, Crystal, Bob, Susie, and Stuart—are buzzing with excitement as they get ready to chase fresh snow at their favorite Ikon Pass destinations this season. | Photo: Bob Witowski

A major hit of the night was the CMH Heli-Skiing virtual-reality experience, a full 3D immersion complete with helicopter-ride visuals of the Canadian Rockies and a run down untouched powder with a small ski group. Riders found themselves carving turns, watching skiers float past, and looking up, down, and across the alpine terrain—an astonishingly vivid taste of what a heli-ski trip feels like. The CMH station stayed packed all evening.

Austin Loro StokeAustin Loro Stoke
CMH Heli Skiing’s Virtual Reality experience amped up the stoke and had everyone dreaming of deep turns this season. | Photo: CMH Heli Skiing, Fox Wang

The night wrapped up with a spirited swag giveaway, where lucky attendees scored prizes including Yeti mugs, a coveted Shot-Ski, and an Ikon Pass. What a great way to top off a fantastic night!

In the end, the Ikon Pass Stoke Event proved to be a fantastic celebration of Austin’s vibrant ski community—a chance to meet fellow snow lovers, swap stories, and get excited about the season ahead. For one night, Austin truly became a “Ski Town.”

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