Central Texas Is a Sports Lover’s Mecca — And This Weekend Is Proof
If you need any evidence that Central Texas has cemented itself as one of the great sports regions in America, look no further than the calendar sitting in front of you right now.
From the basketball hardwood to the baseball diamond, from the soccer pitch to the racetrack, from the NBA floor to the NHL ice, the stretch of days surrounding this last weekend of March represents a convergence of athletic spectacle rarely seen anywhere in the country — let alone in a region that once defined itself primarily by music, barbecue, and live-work space startups.
Start with the University of Texas, which has sent both its men’s and women’s basketball programs deep into the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16.
The Longhorns women, seeded No. 1 in the Fort Worth Regional, rolled past Oregon 100-58 in the second round behind a record-setting 40-point performance from junior Madison Booker — the most points ever scored by a Texas player in an NCAA Tournament game. The Longhorns now prepare for a Saturday showdown against Kentucky at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth with a spot in the Elite Eight on the line.
Meanwhile, the men’s team has been just as gritty, grinding out three consecutive wins to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time under head coach Sean Miller, with a Thursday matchup against Purdue in San Jose.
Hook ’em twice.
Baseball is back.
MLB Opening Day has arrived, and both of Texas’ major league franchises — the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers, the defending region’s standard-bearers for October baseball — are getting their seasons underway this week.
PREVIEW: HOUSTON ASTROS
PREVIEW: TEXAS RANGERS
Over at Disch-Falk Field in Austin, the University of Texas baseball team is launching what figures to be a pivotal SEC home series against Oklahoma, another reminder that college athletics in this region aren’t just a footnote — they’re a centerpiece.
let's bring it, Longhorn Nation 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/lef18t4BD2
— Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) March 25, 2026
Down in San Antonio, the Spurs are no longer a rebuild story — they’re a bona fide postseason threat.
Led by the otherworldly Victor Wembanyama, who is averaging over 24 points and 11 rebounds a game while also posting a league-best individual net rating, San Antonio has already clinched a playoff berth and holds the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference — their first postseason appearance since 2019. The city has responded: every home game has sold out this season, with standing-room-only tickets following close behind. The Spurs are, once again, San Antonio’s heartbeat.
And then there are the Dallas Stars, who clinched their own spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs just days ago — their fifth consecutive postseason appearance. Dallas has reached the Western Conference Finals in each of the last three seasons and is hungry to finally push through. For hockey fans across Central Texas and the broader region, the Stars’ continued excellence is a point of deep pride.
As if all of that weren’t enough, the Circuit of the Americas just east of Austin hosts the MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas this weekend, March 27-29.
COTA, which regularly draws attendance figures exceeding 100,000 across a full race weekend, is one of the most celebrated motorsports venues in North America — and the Grand Prix of the Americas brings the world’s premier motorcycle racing series to Austin’s doorstep for another showcase weekend, complete with concert performances from Maroon 5 and Post Malone.
And woven through all of it, as it has been every March since 1938, is Rodeo Austin. Now in its 88th year, the Travis County tradition wraps up its 2026 run this weekend at the Travis County Expo Center, closing out what has been one of its strongest concert lineups in recent memory. Country legend Tanya Tucker takes the main stage Friday night, with Texas troubadour Aaron Watson bringing the whole thing home on Saturday. It is a fitting coda to a rodeo season that also featured Clint Black, Flatland Cavalry, Wyatt Flores, Midland, Shane Smith & the Saints, and Diamond Rio, among others — a lineup that speaks to both Austin’s roots and its range.
It is, by any honest measure, an embarrassment of riches. Central Texas spans a major league baseball region, two major league sports franchises on the verge of deep playoff runs, a top-tier MLS club, a nationally competitive college athletics program with teams in multiple NCAA Tournament Sweet 16s simultaneously, and a world-class motorsports facility that draws Formula 1 in the fall and MotoGP in the spring. The question isn’t whether Central Texas deserves to be called a sports mecca. The question is whether any region in the country can match it right now.
The answer, this weekend at least, is almost certainly no.
Sources:
- University of Texas Athletics, texaslonghorns.com — Women’s basketball Sweet 16 recap
- ESPN.com — Women’s March Madness 2026 Sweet 16 rankings
- Fox7Austin.com — Four Texas teams in Sweet 16
- CBS Sports, cbssports.com — Men’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 reseeding; NBA and NHL playoff pictures
- Bleacher Report, bleacherreport.com — Spurs clinch 2026 NBA playoff berth
- Axios San Antonio, axios.com — Spurs playoff energy and attendance
- NHL.com — Dallas Stars clinch 2026 Stanley Cup playoff berth
- Circuit of the Americas, circuitoftheamericas.com — MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas, March 27-29, 2026
- ClockZone.net — MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas 2026 fan guide
- Rodeo Austin, rodeoaustin.com — 2026 ProRodeo & Concert Series schedule
- ExploreATX, exploreatx.us — Rodeo Austin 2026 music lineup
- Saving Country Music, savingcountrymusic.com — Rodeo Austin 2026 lineup review
Austin City Council meets today for its Regular Meeting.
Proclamations (9:00 AM)
- Nowruz Day, Austin Parking Reform Month, Ruben Esquivel Day, Homer Hill and the Urban Music and Cultural Festival Day, and Jimmy Blazer Day
Consent Agenda highlights
- $1.8M public art contract for the Northeast Service Center Garage façade
- 10-year food/retail concession lease for the ABIA West Gate Expansion and Concourse M with Air Star Concessions
- Legal services amendments for a former city employee matter and the Billy Faircloth v. City of Austin federal lawsuit (totaling up to $455K)
- FEMA grant appropriation of ~$391K for COVID-19 and 2015 Halloween Flood expenses
- ~$7.7M construction contract for the St. Elmo Vehicle Bays project (Austin Energy)
- ~$6.3M stormwater improvement contract for Little Walnut Creek near the Asian American Resource Center
- $40M in engineering services contracts for Austin Aviation materials testing
- $21M in furniture/installation contracts for Austin Aviation
- Adoption of the Austin Homeless Strategies and Operations 2025-2027 Strategic Plan
- Ross Road annexation (~9.8 acres) into the city’s full-purpose jurisdiction
- Extended opioid recovery counseling services contract with Communities for Recovery ($250K)
- $9.5M wastewater infrastructure cost-sharing for a mixed-use development at East Howard Lane and SH 130
Council-Initiated Resolutions (Items from Council)
- Directing City Manager to explore maximum off-street parking limits in transit-oriented development corridors (Item 39)
- Initiating new Land Development Code zoning districts for “missing middle housing” (townhomes, cottage courts, small multi-unit) and mixed-use development (Item 40)
Item 40 on the #ATXCouncil agenda initiates changes establishing new missing middle and mixed use zoning districts! I’m excited to cosponsor this item from @PaigeForAustin! A 🧵:
— Mayor Pro Tem Chito Vela, III (@chitoforatx) March 25, 2026
The proposal creates new mixed use zoning districts. This is an important tool that provides a good mix of housing and retail when old commercial strip malls redevelop. This can add housing and provide walkable amenities for both the new housing and nearby neighborhoods. pic.twitter.com/SvH77mhBUi
— Mayor Pro Tem Chito Vela, III (@chitoforatx) March 25, 2026
In this week's work session, we discussed Item #40, which I brought forward to expand what’s known as “missing middle” housing in Austin. (1/5) pic.twitter.com/jLLC07YGGr
— Paige Ellis, City Council Woman – District 8 (@PaigeForAustin) March 25, 2026
- Protecting city parkland from condemnation and reviewing joint-use agreements with AISD (Item 41)
- Creating a program to support home-based small businesses, including “Front Yard Businesses” and Accessory Commercial Units (Item 42)
- Conveying city-owned land at 306 Saxon Lane to Austin Housing Finance Corporation for affordable housing construction (Item 43)
- Exploring unbundled parking fees in new residential developments (Item 44)
- Exploring partnerships with school districts to repurpose closed campuses for community/transit-oriented uses (Item 45)
- Exploring an interlocal agreement with Travis County on transportation and public safety for permitted special events near city limits (Item 46)
Public Hearings (afternoon)
- Adopting the Austin Core Transportation Plan (update to the Strategic Mobility Plan)
- Parkland use change at Auditorium Shores to install an Austin Water reclaimed water line
- Multiple disannexation hearings for properties under Texas SB 1844, primarily in Districts 8 and 10 (Lake Austin area)
- Billboard relocation and electronic signage rule changes (Sign Regulations, Chapter 25-10)
- Downtown Density Bonus Program height/FAR increase for a project near W. MLK Jr. Blvd. and Rio Grande
- Cameron Road Apartments affordable housing tax credit application support
- Youth recreational program standards of care ordinance
Zoning Cases (2:00 PM)
- Goodnight Ranch PUD Amendment (District 2)
- 1000 Red River rezoning to downtown mixed use (District 9)
- East Avenue PUD Amendment near N. IH-35 and Concordia Ave. (District 9)
- North Burnet/Gateway Research and Sciences Mixed Use rezoning (District 7)
- 1811 East Cesar Chavez liquor sales rezoning — staff recommends denial, Planning Commission recommends approval; a valid opposition petition has been filed (District 3)
- Dissolution of the South Central Waterfront Advisory Board
Executive Session
- Legal issues related to the Yogurt Shop criminal cases
- Legal issues related to federal mandates
WATCH THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION LIVE HERE
A man is in custody after police say he fired an AR-15 at multiple vehicles outside a Home Depot in Bastrop on Wednesday afternoon.
Police said the man — whose name has not been released — was firing a rifle at passing vehicles from the back of his own car. The first officer to arrive detained him without further incident. No one was injured, though several vehicles were damaged, according to police. Investigators say they are not seeking additional suspects, and the case remains under investigation. (Austin American-Statesman)
On the Facebook page, Living In Bastrop County, the suspect is being identified as 25-year-old Kobe Lee Mosser, who has an extensive criminal history.
The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of a murder suspect connected to a fentanyl‑related case. In an affidavit obtained by KXAN-TV, investigators said Garrett Wise was communicating with Jensen Anders and sold her fentanyl in 2025. Anders later died due to a fentanyl overdose.
In recent years, our community has experienced several vehicle burglaries in which firearms were taken. We encourage gun owners to follow these safety tips to help reduce the risk of these incidents. If you witness a burglary in progress, please call 9-1-1. For incidents that… pic.twitter.com/gepOSLtyCl
— Austin Police Department (@Austin_Police) March 25, 2026
The Austin Police (APD) Robbery Unit is requesting the community’s assistance with identifying the two suspects involved in a robbery that occurred in the parking lot of 7112 Ed Bluestein Boulevard on Friday, February 13, 2026.
Austin City Councilman Zohaib “Zo” Qadri (District 9) launched his re-election campaign earlier this week.
On X, @AustinJustice gave Qadri a reminder of what’s really happening in District 9 neighborhoods:
Austin councilman Zo Qadri’s constituents have never been less safe.
— Austin Justice (@AustinJustice) March 25, 2026
Here are the number of offenses in his district in 2025:
Assault with Injury – 658
Assault by Contact – 296
Assault with Injury (Family/Dating Violence) – 237
Aggravated Assault – 131
Assault by Threat – 116…
A mistrial was declared during jury selection in the Daniel Perry deadly conduct case, and now there’s new information about what happened.
Pflugerville officials provided an update to its City Council on its ongoing water issues. More repairs to broken pipes are scheduled for May which will result in more restrictions on usage.
In Hays County, five Dripping Springs ISD campuses were impacted by a boil water notice issued Wednesday for some people along Highway 290.
Residents of Taylor are hoping to prevent construction of a new data center there. The facility would be built just off County Road 401, north of the Samsung Factory.
A massive AI data center in Lubbock is likely the first test of Texas’ new utility regulations.
The Austin–San Marcos metro average for regular unleaded hit $3.67 per gallon as of March 19, more than a dollar higher than the prior month and above the statewide average of $3.58. The surge is driven largely by the U.S. conflict with Iran, which has pushed crude oil futures above $110 a barrel and tightened global oil supplies. The national average now sits near $4 per gallon.
The trend line tells the story clearly — Austin gas prices jumped nearly $0.50 in a single week in early March, and have kept climbing since. As of March 16, the Austin metro sat at $3.42 — up $0.25 from the prior week (+7.8%) and up $0.77 year-over-year (+29.3%). By March 19 it had jumped another $0.25 to $3.67. Despite the spike, Texas prices remain below the national average, with the cheapest gas found in the Panhandle and the most expensive in western, central, and northeastern parts of the state.
The future of a plan to expand Mopac in South Austin remains in limbo following an open house this week, where dozens of people opposing the project showed up. The Mopac South Project could add a toll lane in each direction of Mopac from downtown to Slaughter Lane, but the proposed expansion still has years of work if and when it would break ground.
CapMetro is proposing service changes for August.
We expect over 30k departing travelers today. That reflects an average Thursday here at AUS, but arrive early as delays can occur.
— Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (@AustinAirport) March 26, 2026
Arrive 2.5 hours early for domestic and 3 hours for international flights to allow time to park, check bags, and handle any pre-security items. pic.twitter.com/nBhnI7mzwZ
ABIA’s South Terminal is set to close Wednesday, April 1 to make way for a new Midfield Taxiways Project.
More and more Austin Energy customers are seeing their service shut off for non-payment. (KUT 90.5)
Lake Travis Fire Rescue welcomed 13 new probationary firefighters yesterday.
The Hutchinson Fire near Amarillo spread Wednesday, keeping firefighters busy.
That fire is now at 2,900 acres with 70% containment as of late last night.
In Fannin County, the City Fire
Earlier this week, Travis County announced that it had extended its burn ban until the end of April. It speaks to the wildfire risk right now in Central Texas.
WEATHER
WEDNESDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
We broke a record at the airport yesterday, besting the previous high temperature record of 89 degrees set in 2005 by one.
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
A developing El Niño will be one of the biggest forces shaping the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, and is one reason the number of storms could be near to below historical averages. Still, hurricane pre/paredness is critic/al as multiple storms could make landfall in the United States this season. (AccuWeather)
Construction on a border wall in Texas is complete. Now what?
Bush Intercontinental Airport, where outbound travelers have faced wait times up to four hours at security checkpoints this week, has seen some of the highest call-out rates in the country for TSA employees who are working without pay during a partial government shutdown. (Houston Public Media)
I joined @CNN to discuss Trump refusing pay for TSA workers and the burden on consumers as GOP colleagues refuse to act without Trump’s blessing. Trump’s DOGE approach was to fire TSA workers last year and now he refuses to pay them until Congress passes his SAVE America bill.… pic.twitter.com/4DRdIvrksX
— Lloyd Doggett (@RepLloydDoggett) March 25, 2026
Acting Administrator McNeill sets the record straight.
— TSA (@TSA) March 25, 2026
If DHS is funded, TSA officers will be paid. It’s that simple.
It’s time to end the Democrat DHS shutdown now! pic.twitter.com/ovkcKmYLtp
Texas State University cancelled a Cesar Chavez day event after reported allegations of sexual abuse and rape against the labor activist emerged in mid-March. (Austin American-Statesman)
After the pastor of Trump Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Nashville church said on a podcast that he wants Texas Democrat James Talarico dead, the U.S. Senate hopeful has responded with a message of love.
Jesus loves. Christian Nationalism kills.
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) March 25, 2026
You may pray for my death, Pastor, but I still love you.
I love you more than you could ever hate me. https://t.co/ejQg3U2Yq6
Q: Why do so many on the Christian right seem obsessed with @jamestalarico?
— Team Talarico (@TeamTalaricoHQ) March 25, 2026
Journalist: The kind of Christianity he’s espousing is a threat to the cultural monopoly that the GOP wants to project over Christianity. They want to say that they have ownership of Christianity, and… pic.twitter.com/fStHnWpAiY
Texas Democrat James Talarico says an unborn child can be alive… but not a person.
— Texas GOP (@TexasGOP) March 25, 2026
That’s not science or compassion, it’s a dangerous line that devalues human life.
In Texas, we believe every life has value. If a child is alive, that child deserves protection.
Republicans… pic.twitter.com/pFF2ZBzGWi
Just months before the kickoff to the FIFA World Cup, the Public Safety Office (PSO) has awarded $116 million in grants to Texas’ World Cup host cities. (FOX 7 Austin)
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has formally adopted a rule requiring professional license applicants to prove legal status in the country, ending hopes among some business owners that exceptions would be made for unauthorized workers already licensed.
Two men were arrested for allegedly stealing and selling more than $100,000 worth of construction materials, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said Wednesday.
Corpus Christi, Texas is running out of water as surging demand from oil refining, LNG exports, and petrochemical plants strains supply during ongoing drought, which could force restrictions as early as May. pic.twitter.com/mbOYGJhGIZ
— WarMonitor (@TheWarMonitor) March 25, 2026
SPORTS
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: The Texas Longhorns punch their ticket to the Elite Eight — or go home — when they tip off against the Purdue Boilermakers tonight at 6:10 p.m. CDT in a Sweet 16 showdown that pits two storied Big Ten and SEC programs against each other on college basketball’s biggest stage. It’s win-or-go-home time in March, and for a Longhorns squad with championship aspirations, tonight’s game against a battle-tested Purdue side is the next test standing between Austin and a trip to the final eight.
Another Texas team, the Houston Cougars, also play tonight.
NBA: San Antonio keeps rolling while Dallas and Houston continue to fade away.
No games tonight for the three teams.
BASEBALL IS BACK ⚾
— MLB (@MLB) March 26, 2026
Happy Opening Day! pic.twitter.com/WxEPIAifP3
NHL: The Dallas Stars look to snap a two-game losing streak tonight in New York.
The Daytripper heads to Round Top, Texas, for a laid-back and delicious lunch at the beloved Round Top Mercantile Company.
