Yeah, the chances of Columbus getting another team look a lot slimmer than what the Quakes faced after their relocation.
This commercial has been on a lot lately... I know it's coincidental as Continental Tire's colors just happen to be black and yellow, but is anybody else irked by the irony here?
I've always been irked by the corporatist adaptation of grass-roots impulses in that commercial, not to mention Alexi Lalas. Didn't think much about the color scheme, but yeah, that adds to the nails-on-chalkboard effect.
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
That’s a good point. It maybe gives Precourt more room to pursue Austin. I’ll bet this is what happens: Suit by Ohio Attorney General proceeds Crew play to <7,000 crowds in 2018 season In Jul-2018 Precourt starts asking STHs to renew for 2019 In Oct-2018 the lawsuit is resolved in Precourt’s favor, and he announces the Crew departure is delayed until 2020. He refuses to refund 2019 STH renewals Crew play to <3,000 crowds in 2019 season and earn the wooden spoon In Mar-2020 team officially starts season in UTA football stadium and plays there for 3 years
Well the law would seem to state the before the team can be moved. 1. The state would have to agree to let them play their home games in another state or 2. Allow the state or some other entity the opportunity to purchase the team
Looks like we found the inspiration for Lew Wolff's initial submission to the San Jose planning department.
I didn’t look it up. University of Texas at Austin doesn’t have its own football stadium? If not, my apologies!
I was having a little fun. "UTA" is the generally accepted acronym for the University of Texas at Arlington. "UT" is the generally accepted acronym for the University of Texas at Austin, which was formerly just the University of Texas before the University of Texas System was founded in 1967. If and when the Crew move to Austin, they'll likely play at Mike A. Myers Stadium, which opened in 1999, has a capacity of 20,000, is home to UT's track and women's soccer programs, and is a pretty basic stadium but at least has a sufficiently large grass field, albeit one surrounded by a track. However, UT's athletic department is throwing a little cold water on that idea, likely because they know they've got Precourt over a barrel because there's really no other suitable facility in Austin: http://www.mystatesman.com/sports/b...-one-and-done-players/FDQF7qW8Nc9hJrZ84NM8BK/
Heh, this sounds familiar. Wolff's initial stadium attempt here in the Bay Area was a joint project with San Jose State. Now SJSU is nowhere near UT's league in college football, yet they have delusions of grandeur. In the end Donald Kassing, SJSU's president at the time nixed the deal, puffing up his bad a$$ SJSU feathers to try to impress the alumni. SJSU will not cater to the whims of some big money business type, especially one that is associated with .... soccer!! (Because who cares about soccer anyway?).
In regard to the Ohio AG and his comments..... He was merely serving notice to PSV and MLS that they need to play by the rules. The law is pretty loose in my eyes and I'm not even an attorney. First, it has to be determined that the Crew have benefited from public tax dollars. I think most non attorneys would say that playing on state property at a below market lease and paying no state property taxes would constitute "benefiting from public tax dollars). Additionally, the state (more appropriately, the Ohio Exposition Commission) paved the parking lots at the behest of the Crew in 2009. Again, this appears to a non law person like me to meet that standard. Second, the team has to give six months notice before they move. What does "notice" mean? Flying a banner over an OSU game? Ads in the Dispatch? I'm sure there's a legal definition of "notice", but it's not spelled out in the law specifically. Third, the law states that there needs to be an opportunity for a local purchase. But the law doesn't stipulate what that means exactly. No where does it say that the team MUST be sold if a reasonable offer is made. Just that the opportunity has to exist. Precourt could say, "Yeah, I'll sell locally, but for $500 million." Does that meet the standard? Basically if PSV/MLS give six months notice and listen to local offers, they've satisfied the law. If not, DeWine will take them to court. If they go to court, and they won't, the Discovery phase would kill MLS.