Major League Soccer (MLS) announced on Monday the winners of the 2022 Mark Abbott MLS Club Awards, with Austin FC recognized as best-in-class across multiple front office and technical staff departments.
Austin FC President Andy Loughnane was named the 2022 Doug Hamilton Executive of the Year. Under Loughnane’s leadership, Austin FC has sold out every regular season and playoff match in its two-year history, a streak of 36 consecutive matches which is the longest active streak of its kind in MLS. 2022 marked the second consecutive season in which Austin ranked at or near the top of several League-measured commercial categories including sponsorship, ticketing, and merchandise sales.
Four (4) Club departments were recognized as award winners, with Austin FC winning MLS Communications Team of the Year, MLS Marketing Team of the Year, MLS Medical Staff of the Year, and MLS Ticket Sales Team of the Year.
“We’re very proud of the growth and success of our Club, both on and off the field, in such a short period of time,” said Austin FC CEO and Majority Owner, Anthony Precourt. “The opportunity to represent the city of Austin every day is a great honor, and these awards are a reflection of the dedication, sacrifice, and hard work all of our staff puts forward on a daily basis.”
On the field, Austin FC had a historic 2022 season, finishing in second place in the MLS Western Conference and tying the league record for the largest points improvement by a second-year expansion team (+25). Austin also became only the third MLS team to advance through its first two rounds of postseason play in club history, defeating Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas to reach the Western Conference Final. The Club qualified for the 2023 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League by way of its fourth-place finish in the Supporters’ Shield Standings.
