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Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
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Wedge Offline
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Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
Would have a big effect on future MLS expansion decisions -- would likely end San Antonio's chances of getting a team, but help Cincinnati's chances.

http://www.dispatch.com/sports/20171016/...stin-texas

Quote:Austin, the capital of Texas and the home to the state’s flagship university, is the largest city in the country without a major-professional sports franchise. That could change within two years if Anthony Precourt, the San Francisco-based owner of Columbus Crew SC, decides to head south.

“The owner has made a decision to pursue multiple options, including Austin and a new stadium that is being planned down there,” Alex Fischer said late Monday.
Quote:Precourt, under the aegis of Precourt Sports Management, bought the Crew from its original owners, Hunt Sports Group. The purchase agreement contained a promise to keep the team in Columbus for at least 10 years; it also included an escape clause in the case Precourt wanted to move it to Austin.
10-17-2017 01:12 AM
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C2__ Offline
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RE: Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
Not true, have you seen UT's payroll lately?

I think MLB would be the best sport for Austin. The NBA is up the road and the NFL is accessible to anyone that wants to watch it in person. Hockey is a close second although I doubt it would work in Texas. It barely registers in much bigger Dallas.
10-17-2017 02:13 AM
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chargeradio Offline
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RE: Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
Why not Cincinnati? I know they are pursuing an expansion team, and apparently draw pretty well now. Even in Columbus, the Crew already draw fans from Louisville, so moving to Cincinnati would better leverage the entire tri-state area.
10-17-2017 06:32 AM
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vandiver49 Offline
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Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
I'm surprised the new owner wants to move out of Ohio. I thought the Crew were drawing quite well in Ohio.
10-17-2017 06:42 AM
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CliftonAve Offline
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RE: Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
(10-17-2017 06:42 AM)vandiver49 Wrote:  I'm surprised the new owner wants to move out of Ohio. I thought the Crew were drawing quite well in Ohio.

They are ranked last in the MLS at just around 14,700. Their stadium situation is a problem, as it is located beside the state fairgrounds north of the downtown area. The club has tried to relocate to a more urban location, but efforts have not been successful.

As to Cincinnati, the FC Cincinnati USL team is averaging 22,000 a game. The support has just been tremendous. I would not be surprised to see them averaging 30,000 a game once they move up tot he MSL level.
10-17-2017 08:16 AM
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Wedge Offline
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RE: Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
Doesn't look good for Columbus. The statement from the MLS commissioner reads like he's throwing C-Bus under the bus.

Quote:"Columbus Crew SC is near the bottom of the league in all business metrics, and the club’s stadium is no longer competitive with other venues across MLS," Garber said. "The league is very reluctant to allow teams to relocate, but based on these factors, we support (Precourt Sports Ventures') efforts to explore options outside of Columbus, including Austin, provided they find a suitable stadium location."

And, in August, MLS registered two trademarks that could be used for an Austin MLS franchise, even though Austin is not one of the cities competing for an expansion franchise.

Quote:Major League Soccer registered trademarks this month on two possible names for a potential Austin franchise, but on Wednesday, a league official tamped down any special significance area fans might attach to the move.

Austin FC and Austin Athletic are now owned by MLS, a development that first surfaced online Tuesday night when a soccer blogger, Jerome Cortinovis, tweeted screenshots of search results.
Quote:MLS officials could not answer Wednesday whether Austin is the only city not on the bidding list to have trademarked team names. Relocating an exisiting MLS franchise would be the other way to bring a team to Austin.
(This post was last modified: 10-17-2017 01:30 PM by Wedge.)
10-17-2017 01:29 PM
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Love and Honor Offline
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RE: Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
Wasn't Columbus the first city to build an MLS-specific stadium for the league? What's state of the art now is obsolete in twenty years.
10-17-2017 05:23 PM
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Pony94 Online
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Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
Wonder where they will play as the planned soccer facility in Austin will only seat 5,000.

It’s supposed to be completed in 2019 at the Circuit of the America’s racetrack which is owned by Red McCombs who might upsize it if it means a MLS team
10-17-2017 05:30 PM
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dbackjon Offline
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RE: Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
That would suck for Columbus
10-17-2017 07:48 PM
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chargeradio Offline
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RE: Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
I guess if Columbus moves to Austin, then Minnesota will move to the East:

West
Pacific - Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, LA Galaxy, LAFC, San Jose
Midwest - Colorado, Real Salt Lake, Sporting KC, FC Dallas, Houston, Austin

East
Central - Minnesota, Chicago, Orlando, Atlanta, Toronto
Atlantic - Montreal, New England, NYCFC, NY Red Bulls, DC United, Philadelphia

When Miami gets off the ground, both conferences would have twelve members.
10-17-2017 08:58 PM
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ClairtonPanther Offline
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RE: Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
I wished they'd move to Pittsburgh. I could see a MLS team being successful here.
10-17-2017 09:04 PM
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Lush Offline
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RE: Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
(10-17-2017 09:04 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  I wished they'd move to Pittsburgh. I could see a MLS team being successful here.

just be happy with the steelers and the penguins you greedy son of a b!tch
10-17-2017 10:40 PM
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ClairtonPanther Offline
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RE: Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
(10-17-2017 10:40 PM)Lush Wrote:  
(10-17-2017 09:04 PM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  I wished they'd move to Pittsburgh. I could see a MLS team being successful here.

just be happy with the steelers and the penguins you greedy son of a b!tch


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10-18-2017 07:58 AM
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Pony94 Online
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RE: Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
They are making a push in the Austin media saying city funds won't be needed
10-18-2017 05:15 PM
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vandiver49 Offline
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Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
(10-17-2017 05:23 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Wasn't Columbus the first city to build an MLS-specific stadium for the league? What's state of the art now is obsolete in twenty years.

It's the STL Rams situation all over again.
10-19-2017 06:30 PM
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bluesox Offline
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RE: Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
Is it right Austin is the only city he can move to? Read There is on out in the stadium contract allowing them to move only to Austin. I wonder if Austin could be a temp home than maybe move to San Antonio
10-23-2017 09:52 AM
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Wedge Offline
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RE: Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
(10-23-2017 09:52 AM)bluesox Wrote:  Is it right Austin is the only city he can move to? Read There is on out in the stadium contract allowing them to move only to Austin. I wonder if Austin could be a temp home than maybe move to San Antonio

Reports are that the team's Columbus stadium lease has an out only for Austin.

It's also reported that cities other than Austin are only being looked at as a backup in case the team owner doesn't get a deal to his liking in Austin. But if you want to be cynical: The Crew owner isn't going to finalize his plans until sometime next year, after MLS has announced which cities will get expansion teams, so this owner could possibly make Austin bid against other cities that want MLS but didn't get an expansion team.
10-23-2017 11:48 AM
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NoDak Offline
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RE: Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
The MLs and the Crew have know since 2016 that Precourt wanted to move the team Precourt was even on the expansion committee.

UT will reportedly lease their stadium for a few years until a new MLS one gets built.

Cincinnati and Detroit now have even more momentum for a team.

Austin is the biggest metro without a major pro team.
10-26-2017 01:29 AM
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AllTideUp Offline
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RE: Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
I'm not sure this is a good idea.

From a business perspective, I get it, but I think MLS should be primarily concerned with growing the game here.

One of the things that ticks American sports fans off most is when their team up and leaves town. Now that MLS is really starting to gain some traction, I'm afraid this might set a dangerous precedent. I was hoping the MLS teams would be more community centered like you get in Europe.
11-02-2017 03:38 AM
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Wedge Offline
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RE: Columbus MLS franchise moving to Austin?
(11-02-2017 03:38 AM)AllTideUp Wrote:  I'm not sure this is a good idea.

From a business perspective, I get it, but I think MLS should be primarily concerned with growing the game here.

One of the things that ticks American sports fans off most is when their team up and leaves town. Now that MLS is really starting to gain some traction, I'm afraid this might set a dangerous precedent. I was hoping the MLS teams would be more community centered like you get in Europe.

That precedent was set more in MLS than 10 years ago, when the billionaire owner of the San Jose Earthquakes moved the franchise to Houston because San Jose wouldn't build him a soccer stadium with public money.
11-02-2017 10:35 AM
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