I've been wondering about this topic for some time and would genuinely like to know the answer. I moved to Columbus (from Massachusetts) in 2000 and the Crew are what keeps me from moving out of state. I acknowledge that California is one of the most desirable places to live in the country and other areas would reasonably be considered a downgrade. I'm sure that San Jose retaining the team's identity must have been a factor to keep people from moving but I still wonder.
Yes!!!! I sold my home for a loss, then quit my Silicon Valley job and gave up all my stock-options. I moved from California which has some of the most wonderful weather in the world to Texas, home of tornados, thunderstorms, hurricanes, and humidity, not to mention a state which has the mosquito as the state bird. I did all of this to follow a soccer team!!!!! Not just any soccer team, but an MLS team!!!!
Man, give the frog-man a break. It's an odd question, but politely offered, and there may be some post-MLS Cup euphoria at work here. I don't think anyone can say for sure, but it seems doubtful that anyone would have moved from the bay area to Houston just to follow the relocated team. Of course families of players and staff excepted.
Can't say that I moved but I did take out a small equity line of credit and purchased a small farm and three other properties, one of which is a multi unit property full of tenants and the other being razed given its commercial zoning. I figure that if you live in Houston there aren’t enough places that sell fire water to drown your miseries. The other bright side is that many properties there sell for the going rate on a used Yugoslavian compact car.
Froggy says that he moved from Massachusetts in 2000 to Columbus and the Crew has kept him in Columbus. Is the Crew the reason that he left Massachusetts. Not clear on that. I've talked to local people who were at the first Quakes-Dynahoe game this past season, and were wearing the Creamsicle shirt. I had a hard time keeping from regurgitating, but that's how it is when conversing with the weak-minded (or is it weak-willed?).
This is a fair question, but this is the wrong forum to post it. It belongs in the Houston forum. Hey, don't scoff! I can imagine that if I were, say, 21 years old and kind of bumming around unable to find a real job and my family lived in Houston and then my team moved -- well, that might motivate me to move back home and mooch off mom and dad for a while. Especially if I knew I couldn't expect to see any local MLS games for 3 seasons. Otherwise, can't imagine it.