Future of the Columbus Crew? (Franklin: leases, layoffs, go bankrupt)

[Tobias C]

Although im from Toledo, im follow the Crew religiously and this is all super depressing to deal with. Heres my gripe about how its going down....

If the Crew were hopelessly plummeting in attendance (we arent, figures are climbing yearly, not fast, but its progress ), and Precourt exhausted every reasonable/feasible plan to boost the team to no avail, and then decided he couldnt make it work and needed to seek greener pastures elsewhere......I would still be devastated, but I would get it.

Precourt bought this team and one of the very first things he announced was his assurance that this team was going nowhere on his watch. Fast forward to the present, and weve learned that the terms of his acquisition of the team from the Hunts was that the Crew must remain in Columbus for at least 10 years.......unless they move to Austin. What kind of absurd and obscure caveat is that?? When you put together all of the pieces of this debacle, its crystal clear that Precourts intentions were always to dodge having to pay full price for an expansion team (150 mil) by buying the entire Crew organization and stadium for 68 mil....and to specifically move the club to Austin, TX as soon as possible.

He claims staying im Columbus is still an option if a stadium can get built. Most people, including resident Austin soccer fans say theres hardly anywhere to build downtown there (MLS prefers urban locations) and any land that could become available would be ridiculously, and Austins mayor has publicly said there won't be any public money contributed to build a new stadium there. The only semi-suitable facility in Austin is U.Ts track/soccer stadium which is extremely subpar to MLS standards and would most likely be a no-go for the league. Precourt claims he doesnt need nor will ask for public money to get a stadium done. If thats the case.....theres no reason why he cant get a stadium built here first!!!

Precourt just seems to have an infatuation with the possibilities of a setting up shop in a thriving, growing, city full of millenial hipsters who might support a team. What I dont get is, is Columbus not a very similar city in profile to Austin?.... State Capitol......Similar population....mega huge university that dominates pretty much every aspect of the city, especially the sports scene.

Austin would seem like a huge gamble. As others have mentioned USL soccer has failed there multiple times (think Clippers to Indians, but USL to MLS) and the state already has 2 MLS teams, Dallas and Houston who have very similar attendance to the Crew. Dallas has even less than us with their randomly suburban stadium, and Houston now draws a bit better than us (upon building their brand new, downtown stadium!) but not even that much more. Nothing about this Austin bid makes sense risk wise other than Precourts personal preference to be there. This also flies in the face of nearby San Antonio, who organization (owned by the NBAs Spurs) actually have an official bid in for an expansion team and have already invested several million dollars into that bid.....and also already have a very successful USL team with a modern stadium thats expandable to MLS suitability. San Antonio officials have already expressed anger at this infringement on their territory and their legitimate bid.

Theres so much confusion and controversy surrounding a potential move to Austin. At first thought, I was inclined to think it was all political posturing and threats towards Columbus to get the city to help him build a stadium. Now its seeming like Austin was always the plan and were the back he had to step on to get there. A partership of Columbus business owners offered him 75 million for a 50% share in the team if he would keep them here, and then for 49%, and then offered to outright by the team 100% from him to keep it here but he denied all of it.

The dudes a snake and I hope all of Columbus sees it.

#SaveTheCrew

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by Bo

The northern suburbs of Austin have one of the most popular minor league baseball franchises in the country. I'm going to guess that's where the new stadium would go in Austin. It may not matter that the city of Austin has no interest in building a stadium. The city of Round Rock would probably do it.

I don't think that would work. The owner specifically wants a downtown stadium, whether that is in Columbus or Austin. The suburbs are a non-starter.

[Tobias C]

Originally Posted by jbcmh81

The Columbus Crew and a Downtown Stadium | All Columbus, Ohio Data


I put together a list of some possible locations for a new Crew Stadium should that possibility even be available.

Good information. Thats a nice shareable resource youve made for potential stadium discussion.

Can I ask a few questions about locations? I know Columbus decently well for a person who isnt from there or around there (im in Toledo).


I was thinking the Nationwide/Jaeger/Pen West whatever you want to call it land is plenty of space. It would seem to me that if Nationwide desires mixed use development there (sensible for the Arena District) but has no concrete plans yet.....you could fit a Crew stadium in there with plenty of aesthetic highway frontage to 670 and still have room for a decent amount of mixed use streetfront development along Nationwide Blvd and along a future street running alongside to the north toward 670 (toward White Castle HQ). Maybe they could extend Nationwide Blvd to the west across the Olentangy instead of the proposed pedestrian bridge there and have it curve over to Spring St where the trail lets out....to help with traffic flow out of the Arena District?

Another location you didnt mention that ive been curious about is the Brewery District/Audubon Park. You know that big warehouse building right next to the park, along the railroad tracks on Maier Place? I wonder if that could be acquired and removed? Theres enough room to get a stadium in there. The complication would be parking and getting people over to it. Maybe land could be acquired on Short St to build parking structures, and have a big pedestrian bridge over the railroad to the stadium? Any team/stadium staff could access the stadium from Maier Place, but keep the general public from crowding that side of the stadium (Audubon Metro Park). It would have good visibility to I-70 and be walkable to the all the restaurants and bars in the Brewery District, possibly boosting business and development around there.

Interested in yours and others thoughts!

[Bo]

Originally Posted by jbcmh81

I don't think that would work. The owner specifically wants a downtown stadium, whether that is in Columbus or Austin. The suburbs are a non-starter.

Real estate in downtown Austin is hugely expensive. It's the most expensive real estate market in Texas and downtown Austin is the place everyone there wants to be - close to UT and the capital. If the city's not cooperating on the project, it's not like Columbus, where there were old dilapidated warehouse districts ripe for redevelopment. There isn't a place like that in Austin.

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by Bo

Real estate in downtown Austin is hugely expensive. It's the most expensive real estate market in Texas and downtown Austin is the place everyone there wants to be - close to UT and the capital. If the city's not cooperating on the project, it's not like Columbus, where there were old dilapidated warehouse districts ripe for redevelopment. There isn't a place like that in Austin.

Columbus doesn't have dilapidated warehouse districts near Downtown, either. What it does have are existing sites where the owners of the land have already come out saying that they would be willing to work with the Crew on a stadium plan. At least 2 of those sites, as I listed in the link, are in the Arena District, where the Clippers and Blue Jackets stadiums already exist. From my understanding, Austin is basically just looking at public park space, which I'm not sure will fly all that will with the public. In any case, the will and the space are available in Columbus. It's really up to PSV and the league to keep trying to sell their BS argument or not.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by jbcmh81

I don't think that would work. The owner specifically wants a downtown stadium, whether that is in Columbus or Austin. The suburbs are a non-starter.

Or is that just to have a rationale to leave Columbus?

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Or is that just to have a rationale to leave Columbus?

If so, that makes no sense because there ARE Downtown locations in Columbus available and willing developers. Still waiting to hear what happens with the meeting between city officials, Precourt and Garber.

Also, San Antonio is now getting into the mix with a judge calling for an investigation, claiming that the MLS told them that they could get a franchise if they bought Ford Field, which they did. They were not told about Precourt's Austin contract out, nor informed about negotiations between Precourt, MLS and Austin, which have been happening for the better part of a year. Furthermore, Precourt spent time on the expansion group, where he would've gained knowledge about SA's expansion plan. If Austin gets a team, San Antonio won't. This reeks.

[osu1978]

The Crew are as good as gone if Austin wants to make it happen. Really difficult to keep a team if the ownership wants to leave. You think Ginther, city council and co are going to be able to negotiate a deal? Maybe some heavy hitters from the local business world but not our mayor's team of degenerates.

[Bo]

Originally Posted by jbcmh81

Also, San Antonio is now getting into the mix with a judge calling for an investigation, claiming that the MLS told them that they could get a franchise if they bought Ford Field, which they did. They were not told about Precourt's Austin contract out, nor informed about negotiations between Precourt, MLS and Austin, which have been happening for the better part of a year. Furthermore, Precourt spent time on the expansion group, where he would've gained knowledge about SA's expansion plan. If Austin gets a team, San Antonio won't. This reeks.

Actually, the county judge is leading the charge on the district attorney's investigation. (The county judge is the highest elected official of the county government. He presides over a court of 3 commissioners, who represent districts in the county.) In addition, the mayor of SA has directed the city attorney to investigate the situation, too. So two levels of government in Bexar County, texas are investigating whether MLS committed fraud by not disclosing the Austin clause in Precourt's purchase agreement with the league.

I'd be surprised if this ends with San Antonio getting a team. The MLS will probably either have to pay millions to make San Antonio back down or buy out their interest in Toyota Field.

[R1070]

The Crew need to stay in Columbus and San Antonio makes a lot more sense for an expansion team.