Precourt is keeping the name because he's planning on relocating Austin to Columbus in a couple years. Dongarber likes multiple teams in Massive cities -- Chicago is out because of an overly restrictive lease. That leaves the only other Massive City in the Midwest to field two teams. Simply put, Precourt wants to be loved by the great unwashed masses. Like Lebron, he left Ohio on piss poor terms and will return with much fanfare and jubilation. He will call the team Real Columbus City SC and will spearhead the new development at Buckeye Lake; including a 30,000 seat multipurpose stadium and apartment complex with light rail provisions connecting the old downtown area to the new and vibrant center of population.
I thought Team Columbus LLC was created Inc. 1994 before The Crew ever existed. Isn’t Team Columbus what PSV bought from the Hunts? I would have thought Edwards/Haslams would now own Team Columbus. Maybe that’s how they get around the expansion issue. PSV owns Team Columbus in Austin and Haslam owns whatever is playing in Columbus.
This would not surprise me. There were hints dropped to that effect--that while we will have and do have continuity with the Crew, they technically would be an expansion team, from a financial point of view.
I wonder if Beacom follows Big Soccer because it's freaking clockwork that he posts a tweet about jobs in Austin...
I really don't recall which rabid Austin FC supporter brought this up, and look as I might I can't find the post, but I distinctly recall some Hipster 6-er suggesting that we might be forced to consider their effort to get an MLS team to be more "legitimate" once the number of Austin FC subreddit subscribers blew by us sometime mid-season. So let's see how they're doing. Rather than just compare them to the Crew's subreddit, I decided to compare them to all MLS clubs as well as other expansion (and near expansion) teams. I'm sorry to report that I don't see much evidence of a surge in Austin FC interest : - ( ATL 18,100 MIN 11,900 SEA 9,800 POR 7,700 FCC 6,000 Crew 5,500 NYCFC 5,300 TOR 5,300 SKC 5,100 ORL 4,900 LAFC 4,200 LAG 4,200 PHI 4,100 DCU 4,000 CHI 3,300 NYRB 3,200 SJE 3,100 HOU 2,800 NER 2,700 VAN 2,600 DAL 2,400 RSL 2,100 COL 1,700 Austin 1,400 MON 1,300 SAC 1,100 NASH 1,000 MIA 912 For comparison's sake, the MLS league-wide subreddit has 108,000 subscribers. Austin's subscriber numbers are lower than every MLS club other than Montreal (is Reddit much of a thing in French speaking Canada?). They're a few hundred lower than marketing powerhouse Colorado. But they'd need to leapfrog 17 MLS clubs to get where we are (we have the 6th highest number of followers in the league). Rest assured I'll continue to track these numbers and will report back as soon as I see evidence of the inevitable surge in interest in Austin FC on Reddit.
Why is reddit the measure of team interest as opposed to, say, BigSoccer? Because an Austin hipster decreed it -- on BigSoccer?
I'm sure it's not. I just more than willing to research their pathetic level of support across any potential platform.
Here you go.... it was @TheesUhlmann here: and here: Still not sure why ATXSockerBois think Subreddit is a means to on field success but hey..... Grackles gonna grackle I guess.....
Kneepads with another historical thriller. My key takeaway was Greeley was scouting the Austin Aztec USL partnership in 2013, just a few months after PSV bought the Crew. This tells me they had an eye on Austin since day 1. Never tried in Columbus. The tanking was on purpose. ******** Don and ******** little Anthony. THE RACE TO MLSHow three concurrent, silent efforts came to a head in late 2017 and took Austin from zero pro soccer teams to two: https://t.co/dwvDJPZOyT pic.twitter.com/jQqsUbnYgv— Chris Bils (@ChrisBils) March 22, 2019
I don’t believe they tanked the team on purpose. Yeah, they wanted to move and yes, they didn’t want to spend any money but them tanking the team and destroying their business relationships were because they were inept.
I tend to agree with this assessment in most cases. At least in the first couple years. It’s the private equity model really. “We bought this with the general perception that it’s currently being mismanaged and has inherent value. We will invest a minimal amount of operational expense and as little capital expense as possible all the while having a completely viable exit plan. This is an asset to us on our balance sheet, nothing more.” I still have seen nothing from Tony Trustfund that indicates he has a strong and purposeful desire to own a soccer team. Other than a strong desire to be universally liked and part of the old boys club.
I think in the last year, when their intentions were clear, sure, they were actively torpedoing the franchise. That seems undeniable. But before that? I tend to agree that it was more incompetence than strategy. And you see some of the same traits reported out of Austin in that previous Statesman article from a few weeks ago that chronicled what was going on behind the scenes back in 2016-17. Precourt isn't good at this. He doesn't know how to hire good people. Doesn't know how to build an organization. Doesn't know how to seek out and nurture relationships. We are so effing fortunate to be rid of him. It's like your doctor giving you the miraculous news that, after a years' long battle, you're cancer free.
We were going to be rid of him one way or another. No Crew or Crew with new ownership were both better options than Crew with Tony. I think after 2015, it was their desired intent to get out. They gave it 2.5 years, but everything after that was aimed at getting out. Otherwise, you don’t hire the exact same staff for your new franchise that was in place at your old, failing franchise. And there are some on this board who might give it all up if they could guarantee that message from their doctor.
They were never “all in on Columbus”. I think they had an eye on Austin from the initial purchase. They just couldn’t move forward without a stadium down there. In the mean while they were status quo in Columbus. So maybe they didn’t “tank” but they definitely didn’t invest for the future either. This league is growing fast and not investing is a killer for growth. Either way, I’m glad to be rid of him. So much happier now, just leary of those ********s at the league office.
While drinking and watching multiple television screens full of March Madness in our own house, I went on a rant about the perils of downvoting. My husband wisely listened, disagreed politely, and we went back to explaining basketball plays and fouls to Markus (who stayed up late to watch).
Hear ye, hear ye. I proclaim that this thread was started with the pure hated of heart that those whom have born direct witness-- before Sirs @Kyle Crew and @hardhead (hi, @Mrs Kyle Crew) can pour the Brain Bleach (tm) all over everything --can attest on these very hallowed boards. And in this malevolent spirit, young(ish) @jack sticker did not thread title with the words, 'hated' and 'official' lightly. Nay! Therefore, I proclaim that namby-pamby shit like above be mocked and ridiculed and driven from this thread starting the day that Broccoli FC kick a ball in their toxic swamp for the first time.* But you know, right now? Who cares, go nuts. I even agree, it's a great town, but visit in the winter! It's hot af. *