On January 25, Austin FC, the 27th club in Major League Soccer (MLS), announced that it has entered into a multiyear stadium-naming-rights partnership with Q2 Holdings Inc., an Austin-based provider of digital transformation solutions for banking and lending, for its state-of-the-art, $260-million stadium. Austin FC’s 20,500-plus seat Q2 Stadium will become one of 20 soccer-specific stadia featured within MLS in 2021. It will be included in a group of eight soccer-specific stadia that have, or will soon have, opened since 2017. Q2 Stadium remains on schedule to be completed in spring 2021 and will welcome athletes, artists and audiences from around the globe soon after.

“Establishing a long-term stadium naming rights partnership with an Austin-based company that is committed to using this platform to give back to the community was the club’s top priority,” says Andy Loughnane, Austin FC president. “Q2 Stadium holds the distinction of being the first and only major league venue in Austin, and Austin FC is exceptionally proud to begin its MLS journey with Q2 as our partner and Q2 Stadium as our home.”

Q2 is a financial experience company that provides digital banking and lending solutions to banks, credit unions, alternative finance and fintech companies worldwide. The company enables its partners to provide cohesive, secure, data-driven experiences to every account-holder.

“Q2 is an Austin-born company with a mission to build strong and diverse communities by strengthening their financial institutions,” says Matt Flake, Q2 president and CEO. “As one of Austin’s fastest-growing companies and a regular on the ‘Best Places to Work’ list, our partnership reinforces to our employees and top talent that Q2 is committed to everything that makes Austin special: culture, community and now world-class professional sports sure to bring a diverse, global audience to our community.”

Features of Q2 Stadium include:

• 20,500+ seats for MLS matches and most sporting event configurations, even larger capacity for most concert configurations;
• Natural grass playing surface;
• Future expansion capacity to construct a new seating deck affixed to the North building, which would add approximately 1,500 new seats to both the soccer and concert seating configurations;
• Unique design and signature canopy structure, which offers shade and coverage from inclement weather, alongside providing an unequaled event atmosphere;
• Approximately 30 percent of Q2 Stadium seats (6,000 seats) feature breathable mesh seating; the venue holds the distinction as the largest volume of breathable mesh seats installed in a major league venue in the world;
• Four climate-controlled bars/club lounges for Austin FC matches and other special events, including community meetings;
• Public distributed antenna systems and wifi systems throughout the venue;
• The most advanced stadium lighting capabilities in the world—Q2 Stadium is the first stadium in the world to install 100 percent of the field lighting system with tunable RGB LED lights;
• The Verde Store, the Austin FC retail space featuring the largest available selection of Austin FC merchandise;
• Eight acres of open and green space, including public accessibility trails and a performance and gathering area adjacent to Q2 Stadium;
• Stadium and landscape designs showcasing local materials and vegetation; and
• LEED certification status.

The multipurpose venue has been designed to accommodate a variety of community and spectator events, including professional soccer games—ranging from MLS to U.S. Women’s National Team and U.S. Men’s National Team matches; additional professional and amateur sporting events; concerts—ranging from headliner acts and festivals to smaller, up-and-coming artists; community activities and cultural events; and private functions, such as corporate meetings and weddings. Q2 Stadium will also host organizations like Black Girls Code and Code2College, groups that make considerable contributions to the Austin and software development communities. As the official community partner for Austin FC, Q2’s sponsorship will feature the creation of several innovative community-giving platforms, including the implementation of an annual campaign in which approximately $150,000 will be allocated by Q2 and Austin FC to deserving local nonprofit organizations.

Q2 and Austin FC will also launch the “Dream Starter Competition,” allowing innovative Austinites the opportunity to compete for valuable seed funding for the launch of an entrepreneurial venture. The program, slated to begin in 2021, will provide the winner with “Dream Starter Funds” equal to $100,000 to jumpstart and/or accelerate a business plan. Further details related to both the annual campaign and “Dream Starter Competition” initiatives will be announced in the upcoming months.

In addition to being official stadium naming rights partner for Q2 Stadium and community partner for Austin FC, Q2 has secured entitlement to the Q2 Field Club, the premium seating and club experience adjacent to the player’s benches and locker rooms in Q2 Stadium. The partnership will also provide prominent brand-building exposure inside and outside Q2 Stadium, including a signature interior position above the supporters section in the south end of the stadium, as well as rooftop signage above both the East and West canopy.