It's been three months since the Crew sacked Mark McCullers and about four months since the Crew announced that their new TV deal would exclude all Crew fans within 75 miles of the stadium who do not subscribe to TimeWarnerCable (world's worst company). No replacement for McCullers has been forthcoming. The Crew are 4-5-8. They have won exactly once in fourteen matches. Still on the horizon is the coming rebranding of our beloved team. The season is half over. On March 27 we all heralded the dawn of our NEW CREW. In the wake of all that has not gone on this season, I'd like to know, what exactly is Precourt doing? Any theories?
He has been watching the world cup and forgot that he owns a team. After the summer transfer window closes, we will be told the obvious that luck was not on our side getting any signings. Precourt will make a tweet saying that he heard the fans and will purchase a float to be in the Red White and Boom parade next year, but the float will contain no references to the Crew or MLS. Instead it will be a CBJ float. Gonzalez will get signed by another club and we will receive allocation space that we will proceed to trade away for some soft serve ice cream from dairy queen at the next crew home game. This fall we will higher a new GM (or whatever you want to call the position), it will be a buddy of somebody with no experience that Precourt will think is "totally awesome". Other teams will continue to sign DP's and we will maintain 1 DP. We will hear a few more references to how we want to be like KC, but it turns out to still be more talk with no action. Next year Crew stadium will raise the prices of food and beer due to the premium quality of the food choices. The slogan given will be "We want to give an MLS 1.0 experience with MLS 3.0 prices" Ill stop there I feel Im being just a litttttttttle negative. So on the bright side there is always next year. Where we will continue to talk about hopes of a Stadium sponsor, a rebranding, a signing of some MLS journeyman going to his umpteenth team, and of course those 10k season ticket holders (that they lost).
In defense of Precourt, he's got a guy on the other line about some white walls, so he's a little busy.
My guesses: Although he visits Columbus periodically he still lives in Cali where his wife and kids are. So he's not as engaged on a daily basis as McCullers was. The TWC contract is a done deal and nothing will change until after 2015. He's invested in Berhalter and will give him every possible chance to succeed, at least short of spending big. We'll sell Gonzalez for as much as we can get. We won't get a comparable, top tier striker. We probably won't even enter negotiations with any attacking players until we know how much we get for Gonzalez. The new logo will be focus group tested and polarizing among the slice of the hard core. Lip service will be paid to the hiring process for the new team president. It will be someone hired for his connections to the search committee. Precourt doesn't have his own deep connections to soccer people so he'll have to rely on the recommendations of others, especially Berhalter and Frankie. That's even with the stated desire to separate out the business operations.
I agree with everything said except the Gonzalez one which is murky. He's visited Columbus at least once on a low profile, which I think is best. The hard-cores know him, but the average families may not. It may be to his advantage to sit in the south stands, upper level, NW corner in a jersey and shorts in order to try to play the role of a new-ish Crew fan. "Hey, I'm new to following the team. Can you tell me what you like? How long have you been a fan?" That kind of stuff. TV deal. If something were to have changed, I bet something would have leaked. Anything. We get nothing, other than blaming Time Warner customers for complaining to the Crew FO when TW opted to show a Reds or CBJ or whatever instead of the Crew. "Why am I not watching the Crew game? You said the game would be on Fox Sports Ohio and they're showing the Reds! I'm not a Reds fan!" -- That kind of stuff. Berhalter, yes. I think Precourt wants to win and wouldn't actually mind spending, but doesn't want to "buy just to buy." Like it or not though, we're still a small market team. NYC, Atlanta and Orlando are all getting teams in the near future. I guess the good news here is that Jim Smith will The new logo. I completely agree. Some will like it, others won't. I hope they get whoever did the CBJ stuff, but I'm sure they won't. Berhalter and Frankie are definitely the "soccer minds" of the operation. It reminds me of when McCullers first took over and he admitted as to not being much of a soccer guy, so he let others make those decisions.
I hope not--at least the guys that did the original. I'm meh on the original logo and Stinger. I much prefer the new one with the Ohio flag and the third jersey with the cannon. And they *really* better not get the guys that thought up Boomer.....
FYI - I attended Phish's first ever show at Polaris, on 31 July 1998. http://phish.net/setlists/?d=1998-07-31
That's not the case. I saw Phish an embarrassing amount of times. Traveled, the whole nine. Doesn't change the fact I can still smell the fans 16 years later.
Not engaged with the team on a daily basis, or with the city? I would imagine his full time attention is the team regardless of whether he is in Columbus or not. And I'm betting he's here a few days a week at least. He is essentially the team president right now, I doubt he does most of the work from California. He has also mentioned being around Columbus on Twitter every once in a while. Hell, there was a picture of him sitting alone in the stands in Akron before our Open Cup match a couple of weeks ago, it's not like he's not committed to being around the team.
Both. He's been in Cbus several times a month but that's not the same as being around every day with an open door policy. He may teleconference as well but of course his contact would be limited to the other participants. No idea how widely he gives out his private cell phone # or how much of his email is read by him as opposed to his staff.
Eyeing some "redevelopment" property in east Cleveland he would like to buy with the money from the G. Gonzalez sale.
Just as likely. AP - Thank you for the tour, Herr Watzke. Your facilities are amazing and your staff has been excellent. I have to get the name of that bratwurst and beer again. HJW - Of course Mr. Precourt. It is about hard work and as America's hardest working team you know that. Us yellow and black team must stick together, yah? AP - Yes we do. Which brings me to my next point, we would like to form a strong bond with your organization. HJW - Ah a partnership? AP - Nothing that official. More like an understanding. HJW - Yes I see. I like you Mr. Precourt and I like your Yellow soccer team. We will see what we can do. Who knows we might need to send young Gyau for more training. And maybe that Wil Trapp might make his way to Dortmund in the future. AP - I see we understand. Thank you, Herr Watzke. HJW - Of course Mr. Precourt. Would you like another beer and bratwurst for the road. AP - I am not driving, that sounds great.