Austin Bold FC played its last match in October 2021, a draw against the Charlotte Independence, and never returned to the pitch. The lower-division soccer club went dark for the 2022 season amid a planned relocation that was supposed to land it a new stadium in Fort Worth under new ownership led by former Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson. That stadium never materialized, and five years later the team's former owners are suing each other in Texas business court, each accusing the other of fraud.
A Relocation Deal That Fell Apart
Bobby Epstein, Austin Bold's former majority owner and the co-founder and chairman of Circuit of the Americas, created and operated the club, according to the Austin American-Statesman. In 2021, Nelson agreed to pay $2.5 million for an 80% membership interest in the team through his company, Amerock, after leaving the Mavericks that year following 24 years as the franchise's president of basketball operations and general manager. Court documents cited by the Statesman say Epstein sold all but 17% of his stake with the understanding that the team would continue playing in Fort Worth, and he says he received a little more than $1 million from that sale.
The relocation plan had been in motion earlier in 2021, with Austin Bold expected to move to Fort Worth under a new stadium and Nelson-led ownership. That timeline lines up with earlier reporting: the club told KXAN in August 2021 that it was exploring options including staying in Austin, citing attendance troubles it attributed to the success of Austin FC, the Major League Soccer club added to the city in April 2021. By December 2021, the USL Championship had approved the new ownership group led by Nelson, Neil Leibman and Epstein, and the club did not participate in the 2022 season while pursuing a move to another major Texas city.
Fort Worth, Arlington and a Stadium That Never Came
Fort Worth was floated as a leading contender for the relocated club. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported in February 2022 that the city surveyed residents to measure interest and financial practicality for a proposed 10,000-seat stadium at Basswood Boulevard and I-35W, envisioned as a potential home for two professional soccer teams. None of that was built. Austin Bold FC never obtained the promised new stadium, and Amerock, Nelson's company, later met with city officials in Arlington, Fort Worth and Mansfield and attempted to secure Choctaw Stadium in Arlington as a temporary home, a bid the USL rejected, according to the Statesman.
By 2024, the club had still not returned to play. Per the Statesman's reporting, Epstein held a members meeting without Amerock on May 18, 2024, and Bold members voted to remove Amerock from management and install Epstein. Epstein said Amerock was failing to secure the franchise's future, and he has admitted to voting for the ouster. Amerock, in turn, accused Epstein of prior attempts to transfer team funds and direct employees to backdate legal documents and spin off assets — allegations Epstein has denied.
USL's Warning Letter and a Forced Sale
The USL sent a warning letter in May 2024 saying Austin Bold risked losing its franchise rights over repeated alleged agreement breaches and its continued absence from the field. The league then offered a forbearance agreement that would have let the club pursue an $11 million sale to Jonah Football Holdings, with a signing deadline of July 18, 2024, according to the Statesman's account. Amerock had considered a sale of the club to Jonah Football Holdings in early 2024, but Amerock CEO Christie Armstrong did not sign the forbearance agreement.
Armstrong told the paper she felt strong-armed by the league, saying, “The league is forcing us to … put a gun to our head and sign this deal with (Jonah) or else.” The league terminated Austin Bold FC's franchise in July 2024, citing the repeated alleged breaches and the team's lack of readiness to field a squad for the 2025 season.
Dueling Fraud Allegations
Epstein has since sued over the team's failure, valuing the franchise at as much as $40 million and alleging that Austin Bold may have been intentionally scuttled. He claims Nelson failed to make scheduled payments that, with interest, now total more than $2 million, while the case also involves Dallas-area soccer deals.
Nelson and Amerock deny Epstein's allegations and have countersued, accusing him of fraud, embezzlement and illegally transferring team assets. They've called Epstein's $40 million valuation of the franchise fanciful, and Nelson has called the allegation that he owes Epstein money “preposterous on its face.” The defendants also dispute that Nelson's purchase money was ever funneled through Amerock, arguing instead that the sale contracts directed payment to Austin Bold FC rather than to Epstein personally — and they argue Nelson shouldn't even be a party to the lawsuit.
The case was moved last month, and both Epstein and Nelson are now seeking summary judgment, each alleging the other side lacks evidence to support its claims. A state district court judge has already dismissed embezzlement and intentional misconduct claims against Epstein. The Statesman reported that emails requesting comment sent to Epstein, his attorneys and Amerock's attorneys went unanswered. Austin Bold FC, once a lower-tier club already losing money before its relocation bid collapsed, remains in legal limbo — its stadium unbuilt, its franchise gone, and its former partners still arguing over who's to blame.
