Crew to Austin in 2019..(Maybe)

It does seem to come back around occasionally. But honestly, I don't recall much about the origin. Always liked Gehrig, but never felt he was a starter, by any means.

As for the injunction being the whole enchilada, it probably isn't. But if it's granted, unless Anthony Jerkoff manages to get it challenged and removed pretty quickly, his already-sketchy Austin venture becomes even less plausible.

 

Bona fide purchaser(s) lurking has to be the reason for DeWine's actions.

Precourt isn't going to sell. Precourt isn't going to return to Columbus. Precourt is taking a team with him to Austin.

MLS is the only one that can say a team called the Crew will play in Columbus. That won't be Precourt's team.​

At this point, there is no way this will go away quietly. That ended the day that it slipped that PSV was thinking to move to Austin. A team quietly showing up in Austin owned by PSV along side the Crew having new, local ownership would raise eyebrows, but that horse done left the barn.

At whatever hearing occurs about the DeWine filing, the judge is going to encourage the parties to settle the claim out of court.

I would find it hard to believe that MLS would settle for less than they are getting for the current expansion teams. The are going to treat either the Austin or Columbus team as a new expansion team. I suspect that whoever the buyer is couldn't find out the fee for FC Cincinnati, at least unofficially, and base the sale price on that.

Making Austin the expansion team relieves Precourt of the need to locate a temporary venue, so he may be willing to take the expansion team instead of moving the current team to a temporary facility.

 

BrewDog Elvis Juice. Goes great with an episode of Walker, Texas Ranger.

How long would MLS take the bad publicity if this goes to court? USSF/MLS aren't exactly popular these days.

 

Name one person in this entire world that is opposed to MLS having 29 teams. I dare you.

 

That would destroy any chance of expansion teams in the future. No way both Austin and Columbus have a team when the dust settles

 

After Chelsey booed him, of course....

 

Columbus getting an expansion team after Precourt moves to Texas would be mind-mindbogglingly absurd. The original MLS team now an expansion team? I'd certainly be done with the league if that somehow ends up happening. If Precourt gets to take Berhalter and our roster to Austin.... f*** that.

 

Eh, Houston seems to--and Buckhead in Atl. But Austin is too small for that.

 

I wouldn’t be happy about it but I would certainly support the team. I’ve been a fan for over 20 years since 96. I’m not going anywhere.

 

I would probably not support it at my current level (FST since 1998). I'm starting to get a bit too old for 3 March games.

But I could easily see MLS offering this and then reneging one the team is moved with some nonsense about the plans not being serious enough.

 

Let Precourt start over and show us how incompetent he is in public in managing a professional soccer team.

 

Indeed. I was too young back when San Jose moved to really notice it or understand how awful this type of bs is. But now it's tough for me to want to have anything to do with MLS, even if the Crew does get saved. I want to see soccer grow in this country. Not just get moved around.

 

That is another selling point for Precourt's team in Austin being the expansion team. The Crew can continue to play in Crew/MAPFRE Stadium.

Precourt's ability to obtain a temporary stadium in Austin is an open question, as is the permanent stadium timeline. Leaving the current Crew in Columbus is less risky.

 

Precourt gutted the front office, got rid of Chad Marshall, and even changed the damn logo and team name. There is next to nothing left of the organization that led us to a cup in 2008. I still wouldn’t be happy about getting an expansion but I’m my eyes, it would be kinda like resetting to the pre-Precourt era.

 

That explains so much.

 

My wife used to be so appalled when we'd go up there; she said everybody is just as hostile as I am. First time I took her up she swore she would never go back.

Maybe it's the Jenny Cream. Mother's milk.

Anyway, I honestly do think this lawsuit is going to end up.doing MLS a favor by giving them an excuse for doing the right thing .

I just wish I could find 2 lawyers who agreed on how this is going to go.

 

I know we have tossed this thought around numerous times so pardon me for being so unoriginal (Today is Friday, and I have had a long week).


1) DeWine’s interview and moves continue to paint a certain narrative in my head + 2) Fratass, Greedy, et al. running their mouths and paying off journalists = MLS is almost stuck in the middle (and I mean the league, not Dong Arber, the conniver of the caper). I can only imagine how Fratass has become one giant laughingstock of the prestigious sports team owners' private club.


In the other thread (are there any other threads in the Crew forums at the moment? No? I saw the Santos thread got some love yesterday.), the talk is of MLS as the pinnacle of soccer. The pinnacle. And this shit is lingering on and continues to linger well past the sell by date? And is lingering into a waste pit(s). Sorry, a water treatment facility. Pardon me.


The phrase gets thrown around from time-to-time so again I try to steer away from being trite, but it bears repeating: MLS has an identity crisis. The league has had one from the inception. What to make of this league? Soccer moms or hardcore fans? Crew groove or Ultras? The actions going forward to “deal” with the little, old problem of Cowtown, USA will speak volumes on what this league is really made of and made for.


As the eternal optimist, I can only hope that someone shuts Fratass up, removes Garble from power, and kicks Greedy to the curb where he is forever banned from this beautiful sport. Permanent and lifetime ban. "Beware of incompetent asshole" forever branded on his person. (No worries, that is legal. I am an internet lawyer after all.)


Someday when I am teaching a section on business ethics, I hope I can add in a little Prof Elsey case study on the "Trust fund baby bungles his way out of a major sports league" (the pinnacle if you will). It could be right alongside the notorious cases of Bernie Madoff and the Ford Pinto.



I have hope. I hope you guys do as well. Merry Crewsmas Eve.

 

I hate to be the negative Nancy, but the McKalla developments in Austin are not good for us. Austin wants to unload the property, there is no NIMBY factor there, and Precourt is talking it up.

I don't think he would talk it up without MLS' blessing.

The suit is our hope. As is the possibility that neither the Sac or Cincy bids get across the line. Then I could see a Crew + Austin path forward.

 

Upstate NY is wonderful

 

I'd say we're in good shape at present. Local officials are engaged and we have qualified buyers behind the scenes. Even if the Modell law itself is overturned, we would be in position to use eminent domain.

Regardless of what agreement Precourt and Austin reach over McKalla place, nobody is going to start spending money down there until the litigation is resolved.

 

Not one reason I can think of.

 

True.

And since when does identifying a site suddenly = new stadium deal in place? Stadium deals are a royal pain in the ass. Precourt has never, ever been involved in a project like this. The most we have out of him are rather substanceless statements about a 'privately funded $200 million stadium.' Which sounds great, and all, but what about site prep costs? What about necessary transportation infrastructure improvement costs? What about (just hypothesizing here) PSV asking for some kind of tax abatement?

At some point PSV's statements about footing the bill for this stadium are very, very likely to evolve into some sort of shared cost structure. I seriously doubt that Precourt has any intention to pay all costs associated with this project, or even that he's that deep-pocketed. As has been publicly stated numerous times: no public officials in Austin have seen a real proposal from Precourt.

 

Good point.

Also, people need to pay attention to the points they're making down there and ask themselves why they are making them.

Right now, and out of nowhere, they're suddenly screaming from the rooftops about the (ridiculous, fantasyland) $400 million in benefits the team will bring. Every time someone opens their mouth.

Why all of a sudden? And now they say they're going to release a big pile of (lies) data which will prove to everybody that they stand to gain millions if not billions and gajillions.

Why?

Because they're trying to soften people up for the fact that Austin is going to have to pay for millions of dollars worth of site improvements - roads, sewers, sidewalks, on and on - and PSV is making the case that, really, what they're asking for in cash is a drop in the bucket next to the benefits.

Otherwise, why bother? They can have that site anytime they want. The City would be happy to give it away and nobody will complain.

Anytime someone gives you a speech about how much money you're going to get, they're trying to get you to buy something. And since they know they can have the land for the asking, it means they want something else.

And I don't think all the lies in the world will get Austin to fork over the money.

 

Add to that... if you are a bank or financial institution, are you really going to hand out a loan for a facility to house a team that is tied up in the courts and possibly not even moving there at all?

Even with a contingent "upon successful court decision", it is likely that Precourt needs to 'break ground' prior to any legal proceedings being completed in order to hit target dates for opening.