Crew to Austin in 2019..(Maybe)

POd linked it in the post above mine.

 

It helps that Timon is still a jerk. Problem solved, however.

 

Salva El Crew!

Things are looking good to keep the team, if only the team was looking good. If we do sell Steffen we are doomed to tank this season

 

You're very kind, sir, but that's an old one.

 

I don't see Bill's piece. Is there a link?

 

One additional observation which (IMHO) will provide a morsel of insight into the politician's behavior Thursday night: to them, this is a lose-lose proposition. In broad terms, there are the people for whom sports is a really major element of urban amenities, willing to pay for them especially with other people's money, and there are the people who hate taxes and would rather do without sports. The winning side will take the choice for granted, and soon forget. The losing side will have years to hold a grudge. On the one hand, it really is true that if Austin passes on Tony's offer, they probably won't get another chance for NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL or MLS for ten or twenty years. On the other hand, a $100,000,000 taxpayer subsidy could pay for a lot of road repair or low income housing or rec centers of whatever else those other folks are having trouble finding funds for. Whichever choice is made for McKalla Place, Austiners will look at it and say to themselves 'if only Council Member So-and-so had voted right, we would have had . . . . ."

 

If Austin were to have gotten a professional sports team in the NBA, NFL, MLB, etc. it would have already happened by now.

 

Las Vegas

 

And chances are they wouldn't have fretted over it.

 

Thats a unique case.

 

Everywhere is unique. The point is, team's move on rare occasions, and some leagues are open (just a crack) to expansion. A deep market with a potential owner with deep pockets just might get a team, even if it's Austin. But they have to pay the (artificially inflated) going rate, and leap at the rare chance. The argument Austin has no chance is, barely, false. Las Vegas has been trying for years, and they've finally pulled it off with hockey and the NFL. At a huge price.

Austin right now has that rare chance, at a huge price. We hope they don't pay it. And I hope they don't really understand how rare the chance is.

 

True. But some places are more unique than others.

 

Based on what?

Austin is a growing market without a pro team. Eventually, a team will move. There is too much untapped market to ignore forever.

Pro teams move all the time. The NFL just had 2 move with another in a year. There are plenty of NBA, NHL & MLB teams that have leases close enough to ending that could look at a market like Austin.

 

They can't move. Not until the court says they can move.It is silly of Austin to even consider it until the legal stuff is done.

 

The legal stuff will be done in plenty of time. The court won't drag it out too long if there are no offers. If there are, MLS can make everyone happy pretty quick.

The biggest hold up is Austin approving/denying the stadium site.

 

I bet you say that to all the places.

 

There are two groups negotiating to purchase the Crew. That is a fact.

 

Only if I'm trying to - ah nevermind

 

There are offers. They can't leave.

 

Precourt doesn't want to sell. That is a fact.

MLS isn't quite ready to force him to, and there is no indication that they intend to.

The loose end is whether Austin gives Precourt the land. What happens when Austin makes their decision? Once that gets resolved, the sale of the Crew can proceed.

 

At the moment, there is no legal impediment to the Crew leaving. The Modell law itself doesn't contain penalties for non-compliance so the state is asking for an order that PSV comply with the law. That's so if they don't they can be held in contempt and ordered to not move or return the team. No such order has been granted yet.

For their part MLS/PSV say the law is unconstitutional, they have complied with it, and the court should do no more than the legislature specified, ie nothing.

 

Oh, fun. This will keep going into the fall election and be an issue. At that point, it will be clear what Austin will be on the hook for.

My estimate of the likelihood of the Crew being saved just went up.

 

As others have pointed out this is going to be a long process.

And if you don't like the roller-coaster there is nothing wrong with not riding - kick back with a refreshing beverage and watch everyone else scream.

 

Really? I haven’t heard anything from him directly, just a lot of conjecture. Besides, I don’t know how involved he really is anymore. MLS has been distancing themselves from his clown show for a while and has been negotiating with the Columbus groups without his participation.

Regardless of happenings in Austin, if the courts start to get to the discovery phase in Columbus the team will sell regardless of the wishes of Fratass McTrustfund.