Crew to Austin in 2019..(Maybe)

Unless that includes MLS execs or MLS owners, those big time players can meet all they want and nothing will happen.

Those folks should have stepped up when the team was first for sale. But they didn't.

 

Well this explains why we have seen silence about this team for the past couple years.

Im done with MLS and this team. Got much better options watching the European teams I like.

Im surprised but at the same time not surprised. We got Major Leagued.

 

Yes, it's been a theme throughout the season, particularly around the all-star break when Meram and Ola both rightly vented their spleen about not getting their due. Hell, Ola's been saying it basically since he walked through the door.

I've also noticed in recent weeks on Majorleaguesoccersoccer.com weekly statements like "the team nobody is watching" and the like ever since we got this current run up and going. In fact, almost every reference to the team has been of this variety.

 

I'm going to be a pedant here because it will make me feel slightly less terrible: it's a bit misleading to say that Columbus is the one that is growing; it IS, and pretty fast, but the metro area of Cleveland also is (and I believe also Cincinnati's). Columbus is unique in Ohio for having weaker suburbs than the other 5 or so major metro areas, thus the main city has more land area in fringey high-growth areas.

 

The MSA accounts for suburbs. Columbus, and its suburbs, are growing at 7%, Cincy at 2% (the hills really cut off a lot of growth), and Cleveland has lost 1%.

 

I'll also note that some of this is the fans fault. I don't know how many times we heard folks on this board stating that they would not buy tickets until the owner did X, Y, and/or Z or if the team was losing. Well, you won't have to worry about that anymore.

Me? I swore I'd not bury another team/league if there was anything I could do about it (I go back to the old Atoms in the original NASL). That turned out not to be enough, sadly.

 

MLS is dead to me now. I hope the attendance numbers are worse than Chivas USA if we get a playoff game and next season.

It was nice knowing y'all.

 

Which, is only a "slice of the core", mind.

Jokes aside, I'm not sure I could disagree any more with your assertion. Casuals or would-be fans? Yes. Core supporters? No chance, or certainly not big enough worth apportioning any blame.

To this end, in recent years I've often wondered how it could be that certain Columbus residents (and IMO it's a considerable number) that so openly look to emulate a modern city like Portland don't turn out in droves for this team the way the exact same demographic turns out in droves to see the Timbers.

 

This is the first time I've seen the MSA number go down for Cleveland in a while. That's a real surprise. I wonder if the CSA shows any different.

 

I see your point, but disagree. It was obvious to many Precourt was not investing much into this team. The marketing has been poor, if you watch a game on tv the broadcast quality is terrible..I could go on. To prove my point he isnt invested in this team, look at the timing of this news. If they went far into playoffs or won the cup thatd be a pretty dent in his plan.

Columbus is overconsumed by the Buckeyes which hurts.

Now of course I wont be renewing next year, because why the hell would I give sleezeball Precourt money. The writing was on the wall so you cant blame fans for not investing in a team that was always going to turn around and leave.

I said to many the day Precourt took over was the beginning of the end. Read the article about the Hunt group being weary of him, look at the stay in Columbus except Austin move clause, etc.

Think we know why Higuians future was uncertain.

My future of following this joke league is very certain. Not going to happen. If Precourt dare mentions in his press conference this will help US soccer grow then I am not sure how a person in Austin would wanna support a team backed by this clown.

All we can do is chant / protest agaist Precourt. Make it well known we do not like this guy especially at any remaining home games.

 

My guess is that it will go back up next year.

 

Austin has a lot more hipsters, so key start-up demographic is sorted - until artisan beekeeping operations begin to cause their interest to wane to MLS 1.0 levels.

 

I also like the idea that they're going to piss off San Antonio's fans. It's a 90-minute drive from one city to the other. Do they think that thousands will make that drive? Hundreds?

 

I am glad a Columbus Crew existed to have met you, my friend.

 

But he bought beer and hung out with us!

 

So it occurs to me that there might never ever be a Crew home game ever again.

If we lose on the road in the playoffs and the Crew leave for Austin now instead of having a lame duck year, the final MLS game in Columbus could have been 2 weeks ago.


That said, if we do get a home playoff game, cheer your throat hoarse for the players and curse the hell out of the owner.

 

You know what happened. We all do.

Precourt visited Austin once when he was younger and fell in love with it. He wanted to bring a team there when he got rich off daddy. He saw Columbus as his way into a sports league and took it. The league told him to wait on Austin, because soccer in the South wasn't succeeding. Then Orlando and Atlanta showed it could be done. He had some shitty statistician conduct a survey in Austin and showed hypothetical fans for a team there. Game, set, match.

 

I'll know a lot more after they meet.

 

On the 20th anniversary of Crew Stadium (******** mapfre) the team will be gone. Glad I havent given the trust fun kid any more money.

 

Yeah! That'll show him!

 

It looks like I've spent my last dollar on this team. No way I'll go to a playoff game if I get one, and they can all go ******** themselves next year. Might as well move them now, I can't see anyone going to support a lame duck team next year.

 

In likelihood there will be a lame duck year. I almost wonder what Higuian knew with the paraphrasing here, "Not sure what my future is in Columbus. I maybe in the US, but maybe not Columbus." Then a one year deal is reached. Interesting. He has openly stated he loves the city, so maybe he was not interested in moving with Precourt and the gang. Ill bet Will Trapp will have similar feelings.

 

That's the thing in a nutshell.

This was the plan all along. We've been had.

Precourt is a lying piece of shit and I hope he dies screaming.

 

slapped this together with my measly skills...

 

It would be humorous/sad to see a possible MLS Cup this season in front of 1,000 people.