Blue Jackets going to be the only pro team game in Columbus? Crew moving to Austin possibly

Status
Not open for further replies.

cutchemist42

Registered User
Apr 7, 2011
6,705
220
Winnipeg


Really good post from r/mls I thought, pretty much sums up how I feel....about how cutthroat of a move this is. We are talking about one of the original franchises and one of USMNT's best locations. This was the FIRST city to buy in and go SSS for the league. I think they deserved better treatment than Garber and co leading them on for three years and then plopping this on the front step during the lead-up to the playoffs.

What surprises me about how cutthroat this is, is that the pasture isnt obviously greener......this isnt the StL Rams moving to LA, or the Thrashers moving to Winnipeg. Austin is legit unknown at this point.

Im also amazed at how many are still carrying MLS's water here, and really supporting the move because its good for the league. I never realized how much MLS' branding had created league fans until today. Its something you dont see from the other leagues....

Maybe this is all just a momentary blip on the radar, but it feels like this is could be a real moment in the history of US soccer. Between this and the national team World Cup disaster last week, we're starting to see behind the curtain a bit more - and what we're seeing is a runaway blend of incompetence and complete indifference towards anything other than the bottom line.

Certainly, a lot of people were already there in regards to their low opinion of USSF and/or MLS. But I think these 2 weeks could very well do a lot to move many more people over to that end.
It's not just that we didn't qualify for the World Cup - it's that folks like Gulati and Arena have reacted with thinly veiled disgust at the idea that they're facing criticism. it's not just that MLS is executing the soulless, corporate NFL playbook - it's that they're doing this to one of the OG's of MLS. They're doing this to Columbus, they're doing this to community that has real historical importance to really anyone who has followed American soccer at least for the past two decades. If Columbus can be dropped, then really nothing matters and nobody is safe in pursuit of profit maximization.

MLS has pretty cynically weaponized our concern for the 'fate of American soccer' over the past several years. They know that a lot of us remember what it was like when we legitimately weren't sure whether MLS would survive, or if soccer had a future in this country, when the only way to follow the sport was to try to follow along on BigSoccer megathreads and watch shitty streams or go to cavernous football stadiums where you and a couple of dozen others were the only fans on offer.And they've bottled up that anxiety and tried to keep MLS fans in that mindset forever.

From a business standpoint, it was a brilliant strategy. Your MLS fan is on average that much more passionate about their favorite team's business model than pretty much anyone other than Ted Westervelt - they will go to the mat and never stop fighting when it comes to arguing what is ultimately the right of Stan Kroenke or Bob Kraft or Anthony Precourt to maintain a central role in the direction of soccer in this country with a vision that includes little to no concern for either the players (labor who must be crushed) or fans (just consumers, and worth selling out for a bigger pie chart), heavily regulated cost-controls to minimize investment where possible, and taxpayer funded stadiums.

And if you complain, you'll just get the NASL failing 35 years ago as the permanent and unavoidable boogeyman. Now Columbus will go by the wayside too, all for the 'greater good,' which isn't the good of the sport but just what's good for the pockets of a handful of millionaires and billionaires.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hoek and Viqsi

PCSPounder

Stadium Groupie
Apr 12, 2012
2,852
564
The Outskirts of Nutria Nanny
We are talking about one of the original franchises and one of USMNT's best locations. This was the FIRST city to buy in and go SSS for the league.

One wonders if this would be happening now IF USA hadn't lost to Mexico in Columbus this time around. I kind of think US Soccer is itching to put that WCQ in Seattle or Orlando next time around.

Yeah, that's silly stuff.

My Twitter timeline is chock full of angry MLS supporters. The caveat: this is a younger crowd. Instead of being tied to franchise relocations the way we bounce those talks around here, I'm looking at a core of people who are fans despite their disdain for the business of sports. Oh, BTW, since I'm living in Portland, we know all too much about the business of sports. MLS risks a lot here because it does not understand it doesn't have a fan base with the same expectations as the NHL and the other big 3 have. From this angle, MLS will be punished for this.
 

Viqsi

"that chick from Ohio"
Oct 5, 2007
53,660
30,952
40N 83W (approx)
Really? I actually never realized that.

The league should do more of this. Putting teams in under served markets is one of the reasons why it's growing so well
The Crew started in 1996.
The Jackets were announced in 1998.
Mapfre Stadium was opened in 1999.
Nationwide Arena was opened and the Jackets started in 2000.

* * *​


Really good post from r/mls I thought, pretty much sums up how I feel....about how cutthroat of a move this is. We are talking about one of the original franchises and one of USMNT's best locations. This was the FIRST city to buy in and go SSS for the league. I think they deserved better treatment than Garber and co leading them on for three years and then plopping this on the front step during the lead-up to the playoffs.

What surprises me about how cutthroat this is, is that the pasture isnt obviously greener......this isnt the StL Rams moving to LA, or the Thrashers moving to Winnipeg. Austin is legit unknown at this point.

Im also amazed at how many are still carrying MLS's water here, and really supporting the move because its good for the league. I never realized how much MLS' branding had created league fans until today. Its something you dont see from the other leagues....

It gets even better when you realize that from a size, economic, and demographic standpoint, Austin is basically Columbus's twin brother in Texas. He's looking at two sisters and saying "okay, which of you bitches will put out?"
 

cutchemist42

Registered User
Apr 7, 2011
6,705
220
Winnipeg
One wonders if this would be happening now IF USA hadn't lost to Mexico in Columbus this time around. I kind of think US Soccer is itching to put that WCQ in Seattle or Orlando next time around.

Yeah, that's silly stuff.

My Twitter timeline is chock full of angry MLS supporters. The caveat: this is a younger crowd. Instead of being tied to franchise relocations the way we bounce those talks around here, I'm looking at a core of people who are fans despite their disdain for the business of sports. Oh, BTW, since I'm living in Portland, we know all too much about the business of sports. MLS risks a lot here because it does not understand it doesn't have a fan base with the same expectations as the NHL and the other big 3 have. From this angle, MLS will be punished for this.

Yeah, I really think they under estimate the ability to pull typical NA moves on the MLS crowd. At the same time, there is still a noticeable voice online at least defending the MLS crest for best-for-business here....

Related to what viqsi said, The markets are so similar that do you legit even charge a large moving fee? It could be argued the business of soccer might not be better in Austin. It could be, But it's not an obvious optical like Atl to Winnipeg was.
 

tony d

Registered User
Jun 23, 2007
76,590
4,550
Behind A Tree
MLS is pretty major league if you ask me. Not as strong as the big 4 pro sports but it's still a strong league and looks to be getting stronger with some new teams being awarded.
 

Sstroh84

Registered User
May 28, 2015
734
336
Columbus, OH
Honestly, if the Crew left it would not have a significant impact on me. I have lots of friends who would be heartbroken as the Crew have a significant hardcore following. The problem is there isn't much support outside of that group. The stadium was the first primarily soccer stadium in the US and has barely had a facelift since it was built 20 years ago.

Soccer fans in Columbus are being kicked while they are down after the USMNT failed to make the World Cup and now see their home team walking out the door. US Soccer has had several historic matches in Columbus and it would be sad to see this venue and city completely void of this sport.

It wouldn't have any significant impact on the Blue Jackets as the general sports fans in Columbus spend all their money on Ohio State football and the CBJ were already taking up nearly all the scraps that were left over.
 

End on a Hinote

Registered Abuser
Aug 22, 2011
3,984
2,080
Northern British Columbia
How is the MLS not major league?

According to Wikipedias list of top leagues by revenue, the MLS is currently #9 for all soccer leagues and #15 for sports leagues overall. And this is a league that's only 24 years old and with only 22 teams.

Only 11 years ago the expansion fee for Toronto FC was $10 million. Today it is $150 million, and there are plenty of buyers.

This league may never be Premier League, Bundesliga or Serie A huge, but its going to be big in the next decade or so.
 

stator

Registered User
Apr 17, 2012
5,009
995
San Jose
To me the CFL is minor league in the sense that there's a pretty clear ladder up to the next 'domestic' league (obviously not technically, but c'mon... it's Canada and the USA, it's domestic).

MLS would definitely be minor league, probably equivalent to single A ball for MLB if you throw in crossing international borders. Most importantly though, most of the players would bolt for other leagues if they had the chance (and skill).

One could not really say that about NHL, MLB, NBA, and NFL.
 

Big McLargehuge

Fragile Traveler
May 9, 2002
72,188
7,741
S. Pasadena, CA
From MLS Champs to discussing relocation in the snap of the fingers, ouch.

I can't see the MLS being rah rah about this without Cincinnati shoving their way into the expansion picture.
 

njdevil26

I hate avocados
Dec 13, 2006
13,770
5,077
Clark, NJ
This has gotten way off topic.

The Columbus Crew are being STOLEN from Columbus Ohio.

The owner is trying to mask this as "the team is struggling, fans aren't showing up, we can't get an arena downtown, we have to move


The reality is FAR from this.

When he bought the team several years ago, he hid an "out clause" in the deal specifically for AUSTIN TEXAS. No one seems to have known about this either. Since then, he signed a strange TV deal on a provider that half of the people in Columbus don't have access to which also included a blackout radius of 70 miles. Precourt spent 2015-2016 in secret meetings with business partners and officials in Austin Texas figuring out how to get a stadium deal there and nearly completing a deal to have games played at a local college while the stadium was being built. If you are just posturing in order to get public funding for a new stadium like Edmonton did and like Calgary is doing currently, you don't make all of these deals in secret.

Fast forward to this year, Precourt created a website and Twitter account called MLS2ATX in AUGUST... yet these announcements and this news has not come out until two weeks after Crew fans paid for their 2018 season tickets or started their payment plans for next year. All of which are NON-REFUNDABLE.

The letter that Precourt posted on the Crew website gives absolutely no indication that he is being misunderstood and he is committed to the Crew succeeding in Columbus. He has since Tweeted about how they shouldn't take their anger out on the team for whatever is happening with ownership and that he hopes everyone supports the team throughout the playoffs and through the 2018 season.

Many fans have asked for refunds on 2018 season tickets. The team is refusing. Technically they won't have to give refunds because fans are paying for games that are actually happening in Columbus Ohio in 2018.... but now fans were tricked into spending money and dedicating time/travel/funds to a team that is already predetermined to be leaving after next year.

Look deeper into this and you'll find that several Columbus businesses offered to buy 100% of the team from him in the past 1.5 years and he refused. The city has tried to propose deals for a downtown stadium and the mayor reported that Precourt's ownership group has not been fully engaged or interested in talks. The solutions were there and were realistic and this guy is set on moving the team to Austin..... the team that he purchased for the sole purpose of moving them to Austin Texas because the price of the Columbus Crew was cheaper than the MLS expansion fees at that time.

This guy is a snake. He stole this team from the fans in Columbus and they are absolutely being screwed.

The sad part is that people will use this to say that MLS is a joke..... although MLS is absolutely complicit in this. Don Garber has been trying to take advantage of hot markets.... and there's no doubt he is looking to have Cincinnati replace the Crew in Ohio. The Crew are an original MLS franchise that had the first soccer specific professional stadium in the United States... the Men's National Team has a great record there. This is just an honest outrage.
 

njdevil26

I hate avocados
Dec 13, 2006
13,770
5,077
Clark, NJ
Sounds like he's about as honest about wanting to make it work in Columbus as Clay Bennett was about making the Sonics work in Seattle.

The full extent of this guy's master plan is still coming out.... and it looks to be all true. He has not attempted to clarify/refute anything. He only Tweeted that he takes responsibility for the position he put the fans in and that they should support the team.

This says it all doesn't it?

DMlkMmLWsAAQMeN.jpg:large


I love the clarification of "Put you all in, not us" because he's obviously going to be just fine hanging in Austin Texas.
 

cutchemist42

Registered User
Apr 7, 2011
6,705
220
Winnipeg
Sounds like he's about as honest about wanting to make it work in Columbus as Clay Bennett was about making the Sonics work in Seattle.

Yep, in addition everything said above he had a Texas based company since like 2015. MLS was complicit in This, which really exposes the image they tried to create over the last decade, that they are a sport for the millenials different from the other NA leagues.

The sausage is still made the same. In a way, single entity might be more prohibitive seeing the % of revenue players make in MLS.
 

Zippy316

aka Zippo
Aug 17, 2012
19,490
4,481
New Jersey
The reality is FAR from this.

When he bought the team several years ago, he hid an "out clause" in the deal specifically for AUSTIN TEXAS. No one seems to have known about this either. Since then, he signed a strange TV deal on a provider that half of the people in Columbus don't have access to which also included a blackout radius of 70 miles.

The sad part is that people will use this to say that MLS is a joke..... although MLS is absolutely complicit in this. Don Garber has been trying to take advantage of hot markets.... and there's no doubt he is looking to have Cincinnati replace the Crew in Ohio. The Crew are an original MLS franchise that had the first soccer specific professional stadium in the United States... the Men's National Team has a great record there. This is just an honest outrage.

The logic that the MLS has been complicit in this using Cincinnati as an an example isn't too strong considering this owner purchased the team way before Cincinnati was even a thing.

If what you're saying is true, I would hope the MLS would step in to prevent it as it would set a really poor example in the future from a PR perspective.
 

njdevil26

I hate avocados
Dec 13, 2006
13,770
5,077
Clark, NJ
The logic that the MLS has been complicit in this using Cincinnati as an an example isn't too strong considering this owner purchased the team way before Cincinnati was even a thing.

If what you're saying is true, I would hope the MLS would step in to prevent it as it would set a really poor example in the future from a PR perspective.

I think it's more of a convenience thing for MLS. It's pretty obvious this guy bought this team with the plan of moving it to Austin.... right now, MLS has no incentive to stop him because of the impending MLS franchise in Cincy. Maybe that's why this is happening right now.
 

Viqsi

"that chick from Ohio"
Oct 5, 2007
53,660
30,952
40N 83W (approx)
I think it's more of a convenience thing for MLS. It's pretty obvious this guy bought this team with the plan of moving it to Austin.... right now, MLS has no incentive to stop him because of the impending MLS franchise in Cincy. Maybe that's why this is happening right now.
MLS seems rather obsessed with Newer Bigger Shinier Stadiums at the moment; maybe they think the chances of getting that in Austin are better.

At least, I hope that's the case, and I hope that if it is that Austin holds out and tells them no. If Garber lets them relocate to the University of Texas, he can go die in a fire.
 

gordie

5x
Jul 9, 2002
5,201
74
hfboards.com
The Blue Jackets primary goal being kind of centrally located in Ohio's State Capital is to be Ohio's NHL team and not just the home team of the city of Columbus. Both Cleveland and Cincinnati have long pro hockey histories and that state has NCAA Division 1 teams. With the MLS moving out the Columbus that NHL Ownership Group needs to be judged by the NHL of how good of a job they are doing for the league in those regards.
 

Viqsi

"that chick from Ohio"
Oct 5, 2007
53,660
30,952
40N 83W (approx)
The Blue Jackets primary goal being kind of centrally located in Ohio's State Capital is to be Ohio's NHL team and not just the home team of the city of Columbus. Both Cleveland and Cincinnati have long pro hockey histories and that state has NCAA Division 1 teams. With the MLS moving out the Columbus that NHL Ownership Group needs to be judged by the NHL of how good of a job they are doing for the league in those regards.
That's being worked on, particularly with hooking up with the Monsters in Cleveland as our AHL affiliate. That said, the "home team of the city of Columbus" bit is of overwhelming importance to this town, because a lot of us here are easily drawn in by the idea of "we're not playing second fiddle to Cleveland/Cincy again".
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->