Crew to Austin in 2019..(Maybe)

If so MLS should step in and protect us. Clearly AP is a business man and he knew it was cheaper to buy us and move to Austin rather than get a expansion team in Austin

 

Plus there is ample evidence to show that a burgeoning sports league can host two teams in Ohio. Of the three cities, Columbus is the only one really growing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Metropolitan_Statistical_Areas#United_States

If the league does this, and has two years warning, and there is a leadership group willing to stave off disaster, this should be Austin expansion/relocation + "expansion" to Columbus. Let the local leaders step in.

 

No words.

 

All good points, my concern is that we would come back only to find the doors to re-entry to MLS locked shut. From the league's perspective, they probably view a dozen markets ahead of us right now, 13 apparently now counting Austin. No, I'd think it would be more likely to see us resurface in Peter Wilt's nascent NISA (which, frankly, might just be a helluva lot of fun) or the USL (which I've followed pretty closely this year and I love what they're achieving, and no, I'm not only referring to FCC).

What a night, haven't slept a wink. Thanks for that, Aces.

 

Im still a little bit in denial right now. I always knew this was a very real possibility but have usually given Precourt the benefit of the doubt. Is it not possible that this is all political posturing.....our "attempt" to get government help with a new stadium, bur at the end of the day we can still afford to do it ourselves. If these reports are true.....whos to say we wont bring on these additional investors to make a stadium happen (because these people clearly do exist).

Also, how much more relevant and desirable is Austin of a market that it makes sense to move us there. Maybe im missing something but Austin seems to be a city with a very similar profile to Columbus. Similar size cities, Both are state capitols where the sports scene is dominated by a massive university. Theres already a USL expansion team in the works there.

...but on the flip side....MLS may plan on bringing in Cincy and/or Detroit, thinking they can sufficiently soak up the majority of fandom in the region......and it may be a reason why there hasnt been much hype around San Antonios actual MLS expansion bid, while there was no such bid for Austin (maybe MLS and Precourt have been planning this for sometime).....and a new Texas team can help stimulate the rivalries with Houston and Dallas.

I dont know. Im just grasping here. What I do know is that the reports say were going to Austin IF we cant get our stadium built. Im gonna nervously wait til I hear more about our stadium proposals and all that before I 100% freak out.

Living in Northwest Ohio ive never had any connection to Cincinnati so i wont be making that jump. If we do move away, I guess ill just move my fandom down the soccer pyramid, and hope for the rumored USL d2 Cleveland team and pray for an eventual USLD3 Toledo team.

 

That's another thing: Columbus is so much better for an Ohio team than Cleveland or Cincy. Columbus competes with OSU and the Blue Jackets. Cincinnati competes with the Reds, Bengals, AND a big part of their fan base are UK and Louisville basketball fans. Cleveland has the LeBrons, the Indians, and the Browns. If a team goes to the other city, you know Cleveland people don't travel to Cincy and vice-versa.

 

@APrecourt You son of a bitch. You back-stabbing charlatan. I regret ever believing you that the Crew would stay. "For Columbus" my ass!

— Jordan Sampson (@CybrSlydr) October 17, 2017

Made my thoughts known.

 

Instead of pooling our money to buy the team (since apparently he's not interested in selling), can we pool our money to hire Boba Fett instead? Disintegrations allowed.




okay, maybe no disintegrations either, just freeze the guy in carbonite

 

Seriously though, there's only one thing that could save the Columbus Crew, and thats the soccer fans of Austin pooling together and saying they'd love to support an MLS expansion team, but would refuse to support a relocated Crew.

Austin fans, any help you could give us would be appreciated.

 

???
The article said an offer by locals to buy the team has already been rejected.

And the Quakes got their team back before the expansion fee was $150M.

Unless the league waives that fee for the Columbus, we're never getting them back.

 

Watch Trapp look at European options this winter.

For me, it is slowly sinking in that I've likely been to my last Crew game--and, as a corollary, perhaps my last US game. For the Nats will never return to Columbus.

I'm contacting my ticket guy for options. Still undecided if I will go to any home playoff game or not. I will not support a lame duck team. Period.

For those that do go to any home playoff game I have a thought. No banners, no cheering, no noise. Dead silence. Except the anthem of course.

 

I won't. And I will not support Philly (my home town) either. Crew or nothing. And it looks like nothing in a landslide.

 

Protect us? They probably set this up.

 

So, one last grasp thought I had last night when tossing and turning at 3am went back to the Hunts. We know Precourt is on the expansion committee. What power within the league, if any, does Clark or Dan have now with Dallas. Probably very minimal. But if they somehow got a few people together to make this move difficult for Precourt at the league level, could that pump the breaks a little?

I assume that a voting committee of owners would have to approve any move. It's not like Austin is the biggest media market in the country. Could Clark and Dan look back and think to themselves, "This ********in dweeb. Let's make this difficult for him."

I doubt it, but it popped in my head.

 

How do I get my money back for 2018 tickets? I'm serious.....who is going to support this team next year after getting effed over by ownership?

 

I'd much rather go through this forum and find all the posts from people about how he is a much better owner than the Hunts and how glad they are he bought the team.

 

the idea of a lame duck year does seem to be a very odd one

Seriously, why wait. If he really wants to leave and his mind is made up, just ******** off right now. Don't waste our time next year.

 

Wore my winter coat for the first time today since... Well, I know exactly when. Found this in the pocket.

 

If it happens, hopefully they'll be branded the Out Clause Outlaws throughout the league. Hell, just name them OCOFC, IDGAF.

 

To be fair, this isn't necessarily true. There are big time players who are meeting this week to determine what to do. I can also confirm the columbud counsel has tried multiple times to buy the team. AP said no.

 

So has anyone else noticed that some of the players seemed less happy this year? Just the looks on their faces? Particularly Trapp and Meram? I thought for sure Justin wanted to leave the team, but now it seems we have found the reason why: Justin is pissed that the team is going to leave Columbus.

Also, note that Higuain only signed a one-year deal. So he's a Columbus guy too.

 

Grasping at straws. Which I get. The league never liked us but was "forced" to take us as we were the only city that came even close to getting the number of season ticket deposits that "guaranteed" a team.

Ironically, Austin is similar in many ways to Columbus. A smaller market in a state capital dominated on the sports scene by a massive state university and its football program. They'll have a "newness" bump, but long term? We shall see. I think he'll run into the same issues.

 

Good info.
Are you saying there's a chance?