Reliable people that have good sources are saying that a deal has been reached. Details, as it were, are slowly leaking out. Nothing official. No time line for something official.
A statement from Dee and Jimmy Haslam on the Columbus Crew: pic.twitter.com/tSovbEKZ8G— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) October 12, 2018
MLS statement https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018...ners-emerge-potential-buyers-columbus-crew-sc Still saying this is not a for sure thing.
I think we'll need an Austin FC watch thread soon, but for now we just need some time to celebrate the saving of the Crew.
@SiriusXMFC #SaveTheCrew First of all, great news for Columbus and the fans. Haslem wants in to get his Columbus training camp location. Crew and the Academy get a new facility. Just a hunch. https://t.co/jWoWzGGYfr— Todd Hain (@ToddHain) October 12, 2018 So, looks like the new SSS might also end up the Browns' training camp facility?
LOL it hasn't even been half a day and .... District 7 #ATXCouncil member Leslie Pool calls for a “pause” on stadium negotiations, renewed solicitation. #MLS2ATX #SaveTheCrew pic.twitter.com/VkEjoJLPFN— Daniel Salazar (@danielsalazarTX) October 12, 2018
No, the stadium and training facility are separate. The stadium will be downtown somewhere (probably on NationWide blvd west of Huntington Park. The current Crew training facility is leased from the suburban village of Obetz. The lease expires at the end of the year though it will likely be renewed for another year or two. The team will need to build a new training facility somewhere and Haslam wants to move the Brown's preseason camp to Columbus to strengthen his position in the market. There are plenty of Brown's fans around here as a result of internal migration in Ohio from Cleveland-Youngstown toward the state capital. But there are also a lot of Bengals, Steelers, Colts, and even Lions fans around too. Haslam wants to win them over.
Ok, so as the euphoria starts wearing down for the rest of us non-Crew fans, what kind of owner do we suspect this guy will be? Obviously the Browns haven't been the greatest franchise in NFL history...
Lalas says he was cool with the team being moved. Yes, still am. But I also said that if CLB is truly a good soccer market (simply mismanaged) then someone smart will see the business opportunity, potential and value. Looks like someone did...hopefully. It’s an ideal outcome...hopefully. https://t.co/EbCCH2Pqv4— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) October 12, 2018
I love Alexi for all his contributions on the pitch. Burmt he is the Skip Bayless of soccer. And that ain't a compliment. Dear Austin: Good luck with PSV. Best wishes, Crewville.
Jeez, now I have to explain to my wife that I'm watching MLS again. I think she was enjoying my boycott of the league ...
Congratulation, Crew fans! Glad to hear you'll be keeping your team. Different sport, but up here in Seattle we know all to well about an out-of-town owner tanking a team to sabotage stadium negotiations as a cover for moving the team to his city of choice. Wouldn't wish that one anyone, so glad to see it won't be happening here. That being said... Is it still too soon for the rest of the league to go back to singing "we all laugh at a yellow soccer team"?
Yeah, this is definitely moving from counter-take to outright obnoxiousness. His "USL" plan was ridiculous and widely mocked (by me), but at least it was an idea. This is just someone who has decided to die on a hill.