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Many Austinites enjoy playing a variety of sports, but others like to watch. The area has numerous opportunities to join the crowds as a spector of exciting local sporting events.

The University of Texas and the Big 12 Conference offer collegiate sports with nationally ranked programs in football, basketball, baseball, swimming, track and field, volleyball and more.

The Round Rock Express, the Houston Astros' Triple A affiliate named for baseball hall-of-famer Nolan Ryan (who is among the team's owners),  began play in Austin's neighboring city of Round Rock in the 2000 season after relocating here from Jackson, Miss. The Dell Diamond, built at a cost of $20 million, is the home of the Round Rock Express Baseball Club, and also a facility that features numerous amenities for fan comfort and enjoyment. The Express and Dell Computer Corporation agreed on a partnership that included stadium naming rights in January of 2000. With a seating capacity of 7,816 fixed seats, crowds at The Dell Diamond can easily swell to 11,000 with room for almost 3,500 additional fans on the outfield grass berm area.

The Austin Ice Bats, a CHL professional hockey team named after the world-famous free-tailed bats that live under Austin's Congress Avenue Bridge, play at the Travis County Exposition and Heritage Center.

The Austin Wranglers, the Arena Football League’s 19th franchise, kicked off their Inaugural Season in February of 2004. The team plays home games at the Frank Erwin Special Events Center on The University of Texas campus.

If you need a helping of any of the four major professional sporting food groups, they're just a road trip away:

Dallas Mavericks-NBA
Dallas Stars-NHL
Houston Astros-MLB
Houston Comets-WNBA
Houston Rockets-NBA
San Antonio Spurs-NBA
Texas Rangers-MLB (Arlington)

And for you hard-core couch potatoes, the World Wrestling Entertainment brings its show to town every once in a while, too.