Resolved: That Triple Sports should forgo applying and waiting around for MLS to grant an expansion franchise, buy the Columbus Crew, and move them to Detroit. And....debate. I'll weigh in with my position later.
With a limited amount of spots open in the league, moving a team might be the easiest way to get one. While it's obviously a good thing for Detroit and Michigan, I'm never a fan of moving a franchise. I think Columbus can turn things around, and you end up alienating the fans there if you move the team. Plus, don't we want to be able to beat up an Ohio team once we get ours?
Not sure that not finding a CUSA fan in Detroit is indicative of anything, but okay. If the Chivas guys wanted out of MLS, I'd gladly take their franchise off their hands. I don't think that it's going to happen any time soon, though. I haven't heard a single whisper of CUSA going anywhere, aside from the usual BigSoccer anti-Hispanic-prejudice-fueled wishful thinking. To be honest, I'm of two minds about "stealing" the Crew. I also don't like the idea of moving teams, but I think that the main reason for that, that it makes the league look somewhat less successful than it actually is, isn't as important as it used to be. I'm pretty sure that more teams have moved in every other American sports league than MLS since the league was founded in 1996. At this point, my desire for an MLS team overrides any sense of empathy or fair play, and I never liked anything from Ohio anyway, so screw 'em. Crew Stadium can be easily dismantled, or used for something or whatever, and while it would be fun to have a team beat them, I don't consider ripping their hearts out to necessarily be a bad thing. I mean, they're from OHIO, for crissakes. Also, I still think that "Crew" is one of the dumbest team names in all of American major-league sports, and ridding the league of it would be a good and noble thing for the world as a whole. If it did happen, I could get used to their colors, but I'd like them a lot better if they went to traditional striped jerseys, instead of solid black or yellow. It would be a way to help the team create a new identity in their new home. Bottom line: I'd rather just have our own expansion team, but if that doesn't happen, "stealing" the Crew would be better than nothing.
Borderline moronic. I went out to LA for the first game of the season and the Chivas fans where not only magnificent but welcomed the traveling Sporting fans like we were friends. We tailgated with them before and after the game and those that were there were some of the most colorful and engaged fans I have seen in MLS. I mean they were dressed up from head to foot, costumes above and beyond pulling on a shirt ... they were fantastic and so much more deserving of a team than people give them credit for. As it is their attendance is floating right around the league average and is certainly better than cities like Chicago, Dallas, and even DC based on their last game. I sometimes think if they were not called Chivas, and maybe were called the 'LA Stars' and everything else were equal they'd get nowhere near the shit that they get.
Yes. To everything. Columbus sits there in a stadium that would be laughed at by many high schools in Texas. They have little in the way of actual fan support and the local media lavishes more attention on OSU womens lacrosse than any Crew game, so I doubt many people would actually even care if we stole them. Plus they have a horrible name, horrible colors and a horrible logo. And the cherry on the top of this little fantasy is that Garber would be very happy to see the Hunt's go down to one team, which would make acquiring the Crew easy. Someone mentioned this hurting a potential Detroit fanbase in Ohio... I'd note that the dominant cable system in the Toledo area (where most of those Ohio fans would come from, I'd imagine) doesn't even carry the network that shows Crew games (though it does offer Fox Sports Detroit). I think we'd be able to lock up any NW Ohio fans even if the Crew were still there, to be honest. Plus, and this can't be said enough, Ohio blows. That's not even the Michigan alum in me talking, it's an objective view gleaned from years of firsthand research.
I was hoping that KC would never open their new stadium, as they were always #1 on my list of teams to pick off. OK, so I might be the only guy on this forum who likes the C'bus Crew. I would like the idea of having two regional rivals (C'bus and CHI). If it became known that a team (at this time, not the days of three owners for the whole league) would be on the market (for real, not just "for feelers"), then would DET be first on the list of buyers? St Louis? Rochester? Even Cleveland (to keep the team in the state)? Florida? I'm not even sure that a Detroit team would get on Fox Sports Detroit (or even FSD+). Not sure who would actually televise them. I would think that the best thing for Detroit is to get a pro team in USL-Pro (which would probably happen over the NASL).
What possible reason would you have for thinking this? FSD would just LOVE to have live content other than the Tigers in the summer. They constantly trumpet how they are the exclusive place for pro sports in Detroit, and just assuming that they would ignore MLS takes a long leap of logic.
FSD pays a lot of money to have all 3 teams... some of the highest rights fees in the country. Comcast is a very real threat in Michigan, so they'll pay what it takes to dominate live sports. Forget the USL-Pro or NASAL. As much as I love the sport, that's a long ass way for me to go in order to watch second or third division talent when I could spend my money on the Tigers or save it for any of the other teams around. This is a big market, it's a major league market. Minor soccer isn't going to work here at all.
I didn't mean it would hurt a potential Detroit fanbase in Ohio, but it would hurt the fanbase for the sport overall. Just look at how Seattlites have reacted to the NBA after losing the Sonics. I'm just not sure moving a team is good for the sport or the league.
I'm not sure that the NBA has seen much of a downturn in interest, as a whole, based on Seattle moving.
Man this type of thread always pisses me off. I can't wait until the day comes when the Crew stop being mentioned as one of the teams to move. Their attendance is poor this year but I personally think that has to do with the FO's poor handling of the some of the fans' favorite players. Forget that the Crew are in first place right now. I know a lot of fans that didn't like the situation with Schelleto, or Frankie in particular and decided to stay away from the team. I also disagree that you would get fans from NW Ohio to come support a team in Detroit were the Crew to be moved. I would not support MLS period if this happened. I stopped going to NFL games when the Browns moved and I'd never spend a dime on soccer again if this happened. I think you'd find a lot of people doing the same. Also, as for the criticism of Crew Stadium - IMO we don't have a Home Depot Center, Toyota Park or many of the other stadiums without Crew Stadium. I also doubt the USMNT has as many wins over Mexico without Crew Stadium. Some of our best wins in the last decade have been at this stadium. It's not pretty but it started everything we have now in MLS. I have an idea for Detroit fans - get your own team and buy your way into the league as an expansion team. You've got an ownership group with the Silverdome - form your own supporters group with them and convince MLS they have to be in Detroit. Finally, as for Ohio blowing - well I can't argue with that. I do want to know - how is Detroit any different or better? Higher crime, higher unemployment, shrinking population center...and more. The short answer - it isn't. Sounds like a great place to move a team!
Yeah, you pretty much have to in order to make your point. We'll just disregard the fact that the city is not supporting a first-place team, because you say so. Because logic works that way, and everything.
I have to admit, I don't poop in coolers either. Wish I got the joke but I don't and I don't care to either. Many fans decided not to renew season ticket packages well before the season and well before the Crew was in first place. That's the logic to it. Anyways...I will stay out of this wonderful thread. I thought it was a real plan b suggestion but is wasn't. No need to make arguments that just have no meaning at all. Good luck getting an expansion team in Detroit. I think it'd be a great market in the future. I'd rather see a team in St. Louis as my screen name suggests but I have less faith in that than I do Detroit getting a team. I truly hope the Crew never move anywhere!
Well that's just gross & hilarious at the same time! I'm also glad I didn't go to OSU and don't care much for the Buckeyes either. I lived in C-bus for years and really hated all the OSU fanatics. That's one of many reasons I moved!
My thoughts on the subject: Plan A: The Silverdome Group. Plan B: The Bucks owner (Dan Duggan) have expressed interest in starting a MLS team in the past. He doesn't have the cash though most likely he would start a minor league pro team. Plan C: Start a minor league pro team with intent of becoming a MLS team eventually. Plan D: Move another MLS team to Detroit
Is there something here I don't understand? I suppose so (there usually is), but I'm puzzled. In order to move a franchise from one city to another, you have to get the approval of the league, don't you? But that's same league whose approval concerning an expansion franchise you're tired of waiting for. So why would it be any faster at approving this?
Looking at this article from the Sporting News, perhaps moving the Crew - to Detroit perhaps - isn't that far stretched.
Yeah, I've got family down there and they're honestly surprised the Crew even still exist. The Buckeyes dominate that market like no pro team I've ever seen.
I don't know, maybe as a last resort as far as MLS is concerned. MLS won't let the franchise fail but that's only a danger if Hunt Sports Group decides to pull the plug and a new local ownership group couldn't be found.
The Don goes a bit into the situation at C'bus in the second half of the Sporting News interview. (Of course, he doesn't go to the point of pondering the relocation of the Crew, but I do detect a tone of concern.) http://aol.sportingnews.com/soccer/story/2012-07-21/sporting-news-conversation-don-garber-part-ii
https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/...have-committed-to-sell-columbus-crew.1976711/ In the referenced interview, the Don does say a "local" partner to take over the team. But the thread posters are very nervous about the team staying in C'bus.