Hmmmm.... Columbus Crew owner Anthony Precourt is set to move team to Austin, Texas, in 2019 if downtown stadium can't happen in Columbus. Story soon.— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) October 17, 2017
The Austin deal is done. This is just smoke and mirrors to justify the move. A stadium won't get done with public funding and we all know it. Precourt knows it too.
Arace reports: "One source close to the team said a deal to host home games at the University of Texas is “all but done” for 2019. The source also said Precourt paid $68 million – above market value – for the team in 2013 because he entertained plans to move it. Another source said plans for a “pristine, waterfront development” in Austin is gaining impetus."
Wow. Holy shit. This doesn't sound good. Someone needs to find the repeated public declarations from Precourt that this team won't leave Columbus. I remember it many times after he first bought the club, then did the "for Columbus" kit. These stories make it sound like that was all a ruse. And, if one of the reasons for leaving is "declining revenues and ticket sales"....dropping this bomb now is surely going to dent 2018 season ticket sales.
Does Precourt even have enough money to build a stadium on his own? I'm curious how he got a deal done in Austin if he's not selling off part of the team to finance a stadium.
Key lines from the Dispatch article for me: Totally sounds like the "downtown stadium" bit is a ploy. Austin is the goal. I'm gutted.
Here's the SI story. I've gotta go to bed. https://www.si.com/soccer/2017/10/16/columbus-crew-austin-texas-anthony-precourt-stadium
And maybe was all along--according to the article, his original contract to keep the Crew in Columbus for 10 years included one out. To Austin. Hard to believe that MLS would let their first team move--but it will be blamed on the city and not the owner. Oddly enough, that elephant in the room, the NFL, has only two original franchises left, neither of which play in their original cities. The NBA is a similar story with only the Knicks left from the 1950 league (and no, the Celtics do not count as they are actually the former Buffalo franchise)--all the other franchises from 1950 still exist but were moved at least once. And NO, I will not support FC Cincinnati if this happens.
I live in NJ now, but I saw my first Crew match at the ‘Shoe and have been to a bunch over the years at the Meadowlands and RBA. I still buy jerseys on a regular basis. This is ridiculous. We’re THE charter club. This is a Modell. I feel like someone hit me in the teeth with a sledgehammer.
OK, one more question: Why now? Why have a press conference on the Tuesday before the final week of the season? What a distraction for the players as well as the fanbase for the playoff push. Is he trying to tank the season to have more ammunition to move? This is going to destroy morale.
Well, having them win MLS Cup would be bad for his plans to move... Imagine: 2018, defending champions playing their last season in Columbus...
I'm sorry, did I read that right? We have people willing to buy the team from him to keep us here and he's demurrrrrrred? Go blow yourself Tony. Let me guess, the league can't say/won't do anything about this, right?