Archer is just unreadable. He writes at a middle school level. Same condescending attitude, as well. He's soccer's Lupica. Getting spoken down to by a person who's obviously a blathering dolt makes me sort of understand how unpleasant life as a woman must be.
Andrew Erickson @AEricksonCD 17h17 hours ago Ohio AG Mike DeWine statement: "Should ownership of the Columbus Crew initiate a move of the team without complying with Ohio law, I am prepared to take the necessary legal action under this law to protect the interests of the State of Ohio..." #CrewSCpic.twitter.com/noQhKZRG3Q
How many folks in Ohio even know there's a soccer team in Columbus? What percentage know where Austin is? What's the Governor say? He seems to be one of the saner public office holders
I think this is right on. Sports teams that depend on (and whine about) large amounts of publicly funded infrastructure give up the right to be treated like pure for-profits. When they ask the taxpayers for big $ support they become to some extent partnerships. No question, they have the right to move under some circumstances -- especially if there's no fan interest -- but if they want to pull up stakes they should at minimum pay the community back for some of what they are abandoning IMHO. Its bad for the league to have free riders and bad actors, and this seems like a case of both. The fact that most Ohioans don't know that the Crew exists is a moot point. The league shouldn't permit the kind of parasitic behavior that appears to be going on in C-bus. If the league becomes essentially a speculative play -- where the $ is only in the flip of teams or movement -- the league won't last. There's an easy fix: tell the owners their move won't be approved or their ability to sell will be constrained. Imagine "move to Austin if you want, but it'll be as part of USL..." Won't happen, but it would seem just...
I'm not sure the league isn't at the bottom of the whole affair having already given the move the wink and nod as they thumbed through the currency in the envelope. Thinking they will suddenly find Jesus and do the right thing after 2 decades of making rules up as it suits each situation is a bit naive. No reason to stop dealing from the bottom of the deck when they have been getting away with it for 20 years. This league has been a speculative play from day one, it just costs more to ante up now