Crew SC owner considers moving team to Austin, Texas

Also that green has nothing at all to do with Austin. Just a bizarre color choice
You think they're gonna try to pull an ATL but with green instead of red?
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wait so its official they are moving? I dont like when MLS official site runs these non official articles. Like when they make articles of potential signings to MLS, its an official site not a rumor site.
No, but it's all-but official at this point.
 
I'm buying into the theory that Chicago is next. Someone will buy and relocate them in 2022, after the next TV deal is negotiated.

After the TV deal is locked in, MLS can abandon Bridgeview, then negotiate a cheaper buyout for the final decade of the lease. After that, MLS could sell the expansion rights for Chicago for $400 million by then (for the next expansion round, Chicago + Charlotte). Maybe by Ricketts and the USL group. I would imagine this relocation would go down smoother given the fact that Chicago would basically be guaranteed to get a replacement MLS team.

Colorado is probably the next biggest risk, but not sure Kronke would sell anyway. They'll probably just always be neglected.
 
I'm buying into the theory that Chicago is next. Someone will buy and relocate them in 2022, after the next TV deal is negotiated.

After the TV deal is locked in, MLS can abandon Bridgeview, then negotiate a cheaper buyout for the final decade of the lease. After that, MLS could sell the expansion rights for Chicago for $400 million by then (for the next expansion round, Chicago + Charlotte). Maybe by Ricketts and the USL group. I would imagine this relocation would go down smoother given the fact that Chicago would basically be guaranteed to get a replacement MLS team.

Colorado is probably the next biggest risk, but not sure Kronke would sell anyway. They'll probably just always be neglected.
Chicago would have to buy out of it's deal with the village of Bridgeview, which would certainly be very expensive, probably limiting the incentive to move them.
 
Chicago would have to buy out of it's deal with the village of Bridgeview, which would certainly be very expensive, probably limiting the incentive to move them.

Is there a buyout to leave Bridgeview for another state? Or just somewhere else in Illinois? I think that was S sbrylski 's point. Just move out and leave that place dark. Then you have more negotiating power to get a cheap buyout for a franchise in downtown Chicago (which would already be playing there in a new stadium).
 
Chicago would have to buy out of it's deal with the village of Bridgeview, which would certainly be very expensive, probably limiting the incentive to move them.

MLS can choose to stop playing in Chicago, in which case, Bridgeview would lose out on a lot of revenue streams. It has already been reported that Bridgeview isn't doing well financially on this deal anyway. That could induce a favorable buyout discussion.

MLS is also running out of markets that would make sense to pay their rising expansion fee. I think it'll be hard to get an investor to pay $400 million to put a team in Raleigh or Indianapolis. But Chicago is a different story. If they can make a couple hundred million by temporarily pulling out of Chicago, it would make sense.
 
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MLS can choose to stop playing in Chicago, in which case, Bridgeview would lose out on a lot of revenue streams. It has already been reported that Bridgeview isn't doing well financially on this deal anyway. That could induce a favorable buyout discussion.

MLS is also running out of markets that would make sense to pay their rising expansion fee. I think it'll be hard to get an investor to pay $400 million to put a team in Raleigh or Indianapolis. But Chicago is a different story. If they can make a couple hundred million by temporarily pulling out of Chicago, it would make sense.

#firethefire
 
MLS can choose to stop playing in Chicago, in which case, Bridgeview would lose out on a lot of revenue streams.
Maybe, maybe not.
Referring back to an article discussed here multiple times: "The Fire have to reimburse the Village for any home games held outside of the facility. International friendlies included."
http://www.chicagonow.com/fire-confidential/2016/08/fire-sale-at-least-three-groups-interested/

Note that although this quote says "The Fire," the rest of the article is clear that MLS is a party to the deal. And nobody knows how well this article paraphrases and summarizes the exact terms. The point being, if the Fire move, or even fold, MLS still exists and is potentially, depending on actual contract terms, responsible for paying the city for lost revenues if future games are cancelled.

Still, I wonder if MLS might be reaching a point where a buyout on decent terms for Bridgeview could be something the league could swallow. They are 13 years into the 30-year deal. Figure the Fire stay for 2 more at least. The basic "Facility Fee" aka rent, for the last 15 years is just under $7mm undiscounted. If they stay thru 2022 as suggested above it's about $6 million.
The other revenue streams that Bridgeview is entitled to are much harder to quantify. But a total undiscounted value of 20-30 million above the Facility Fee seems plausible. A new owner for the Fire might be willing to pay that, especially if promised a special slice of the expansion fee of any new Chicago franchise. Even Bridgewater could end up better off, as they get a cash infusion and keep the land, which they can sell to another developer. Plus they stop having to pay to maintain the field, etc.
OTOH, my "plausible" guess of $20-30 million on top of the facility fee is a barely informed guess. I could be way, way off.
 
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Chicago would have to buy out of it's deal with the village of Bridgeview, which would certainly be very expensive, probably limiting the incentive to move them.
Would be expensive short run, would benefit the league long run. Chicago is a big market and playing in the city will help a lot I reckon.

Just give the Fire to Ricketts group.
 
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MLS would be making a huge fuss over Chicago USL if the plan isn't for them to join MLS. Everything about that club smells like MLS 15.0, and yet it's joining USL 250.0.
 
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It’s a terrible contract, but it’s the kind of thing MLS had to do 10-15 years ago.

I think they even had to compensate Bridgeview for holding the All-Star game at Soldier Field a couple of years ago.