Crew SC owner considers moving team to Austin, Texas

[joe]

Before Precourt announced his intentions a few weeks ago, how well known or conversely how secret was it that his deal with MLS had an escape clause to Austin?

"On the eve of J. Anthony Precourt’s unveiling as the new chairman and operator-investor of the Crew and Crew Stadium, Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman had one question.

“My first question was, ‘Is the Crew staying in Columbus?’ He said, ‘Absolutely. The Crew is in Columbus to stay.’ ” Coleman said."

Source: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/sports/2013/07/30/1-crew-announcement.html

 

[413Blue]

Before Precourt announced his intentions a few weeks ago, how well known or conversely how secret was it that his deal with MLS had an escape clause to Austin?

It was certainly a surprise to Crew fans. I'm not sure it was ever reported publicly before, and I've seen some speculate that at least some other clubs management didn't know about it.

 

[Ulrich]

"On the eve of J. Anthony Precourt’s unveiling as the new chairman and operator-investor of the Crew and Crew Stadium, Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman had one question.

“My first question was, ‘Is the Crew staying in Columbus?’ He said, ‘Absolutely. The Crew is in Columbus to stay.’ ” Coleman said."

Source: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/sports/2013/07/30/1-crew-announcement.html

San Antonio is gonna win their lawsuit with ease.

 

[413Blue]

San Antonio is gonna win their lawsuit with ease.

Or they may end up winning another way....next month. May be cheaper for MLS to just select S.A..
It would be funny though if the Crew move to Austin, fail to get out of their temp venue, and decide to partner with the Spurs and move again.

 

[Ulrich]

Or they may end up winning another way....next month. May be cheaper for MLS to just select S.A..
It would be funny though if the Crew move to Austin, fail to get out of their temp venue, and decide to partner with the Spurs and move again.

If SA is granted a spot, Austin cannot happen per Garber’s assurances to SA. It was always an either or situation with both only being via expansion. If MLS awards and then Precourt moves, it’s gonna be a nasty lawsuit that’ll make this one look meek.

 

[ferrarinycfc]

Before Precourt announced his intentions a few weeks ago, how well known or conversely how secret was it that his deal with MLS had an escape clause to Austin?

I think it was a shock to pretty much everyone. You'd have to imagine this was the Modus Operandi all along.

 

[Sabo]

https://www.10tv.com/article/disappointed-and-frustrated-no-deal-made-keep-crew-columbus

As a firm believer in refusing to negotiate against myself I applaud Columbus stance. Compare their statement with Precourt/Garber/MLS

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/11/15/crew-sc-ownership-statement-meeting-columbus-mayor-mls

 

[LionNYC]

Honestly, if MLS wants so much out of Columbus, they should fold the team and let another ownership group pay $150M for an expansion fee.

 

[sbrylski]

Honestly, if MLS wants so much out of Columbus, they should fold the team and let another ownership group pay $150M for an expansion fee.

I mean, it simply doesn't work like that. PSV is a shareholder with rights to operate a team. There's pretty much no restriction on where, other than in a market another team has exclusivity, or a market that would be so damaging to the league that the other shareholders would reject it. There's almost zero other reasons why a team would be prevented from being located.

 

[Sabo]

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016...term-future-stadium-process-mls-venues-evolve

If the Crew stadium opened in 1999 and the team has a 25 year lease, is Precourt/Garber really doing anything more than trying to squeeze Columbus with this 2017 threat to move the Club to Austin right now. Seems like a longer-term play. If Precourt is going to announce in 2018 the Crew is moving to Austin in 2021-2022 they are going to have a bunch of lousy revenue years.

 

[snugglefarts]

https://www.reddit.com/r/MLS/comments/7d8bdl/hoffman_joint_statement_from_columbus_mayor/
People are losing their damn minds.

 

[Fantazma]

https://www.reddit.com/r/MLS/comments/7d8bdl/hoffman_joint_statement_from_columbus_mayor/
People are losing their damn minds.

oh man...this just is going to look bad on MLS and garber

this makes it seem like its over

 

[JGarrettLieb]

https://www.reddit.com/r/MLS/comments/7d8bdl/hoffman_joint_statement_from_columbus_mayor/
People are losing their damn minds.

Because they know that the move is going to happen. Tbh the move should have already happened and there are a couple of other teams that might be in need of a move.

 

[Fantazma]

Because they know that the move is going to happen. Tbh the move should have already happened and there are a couple of other teams that might be in need of a move.

like us ? we dont have a stadium and no where near one

i dont like this happening because it can happen to anyone and then hurts any growth....if we talking about attendance numbers then half the league should not exist even if they are in a "big market"

 

[SoupInNYC]

i dont like this happening because it can happen to anyone and then hurts any growth....if we talking about attendance numbers then half the league should not exist even if they are in a "big market"

Yeah, it can happen to any team that loses money and doesn't have anyone supporting it.

MLS is finally making it, turning into a league that has the appeal to be able to ditch an unsupportive market for one with a higher ceiling.

I won't get into the shit that Precourt or Garber are pulling here, but everything that is happening here to me, is a clear sign that this league is healthy and trending upwards.

 

[Fantazma]

Yeah, it can happen to any team that loses money and doesn't have anyone supporting it.

MLS is finally making it, turning into a league that has the appeal to be able to ditch an unsupportive market for one with a higher ceiling.

I won't get into the shit that Precourt or Garber are pulling here, but everything that is happening here to me, is a clear sign that this league is healthy and trending upwards.

i mean im sure every team is losing money some more than others i dont think many people are making big profits out of this ( i mean im sure columbus is doing ok since its part of the original 96, probably not much debt there)

with precourt it made it seem like he didnt want to spend more than he had to.....and may still not want to in Austin since the revenues may be higher in the market with "higher ceiling" ....also he could of just paid the expansion but no decided to do the dick move of buying a team that was "cheap" and move it....and MLS being cool with it

in terms of unsupportive market....every league has its small teams .....some do well and win others do bad as expected doenst mean you move them

i still think is a dick move and MLS will allow and when garber is gone we could also be at risk since i dont think we would be in stadium by then

 

[SoupInNYC]

with precourt it made it seem like he didnt want to spend more than he had to.....and may still not want to in Austin since the revenues may be higher in the market with "higher ceiling" ....also he could of just paid the expansion but no decided to do the dick move of buying a team that was "cheap" and move it....and MLS being cool with it

I would consider buying a team cheaper and moving it a much smarter business move than paying a much larger expansion fee in a new market. Especially when purchasing a team it comes along with a ton more assets than what the expansion fee gets you. That's a no brainer to me.

in terms of unsupportive market....every league has its small teams .....some do well and win others do bad as expected doenst mean you move them

Well, kind of. Look at the NFL. Its small markets are Jacksonville and Green Bay. Jacksonville will eventually move to London, that's happening. Green Bay has a storied history and draws on the whole state rather than just Green Bay. MLB, what are its small markets? Kansas City? NBA? Oklahoma City? These aren't similar to the Columbus market. Especially when you consider the prestige of the leagues.

i still think is a dick move and MLS will allow and when garber is gone we could also be at risk since i dont think we would be in stadium by then

Not arguing whether or not I think its a dick move. I don't see at all how we would be at risk. No chance that a new commissioner would move one of its brightest new franchises (and no chance that CFG would move out of NY - and where would they even go?)

 

[Fantazma]

I would consider buying a team cheaper and moving it a much smarter business move than paying a much larger expansion fee in a new market. Especially when purchasing a team it comes along with a ton more assets than what the expansion fee gets you. That's a no brainer to me.



Well, kind of. Look at the NFL. Its small markets are Jacksonville and Green Bay. Jacksonville will eventually move to London, that's happening. Green Bay has a storied history and draws on the whole state rather than just Green Bay. MLB, what are its small markets? Kansas City? NBA? Oklahoma City? These aren't similar to the Columbus market. Especially when you consider the prestige of the leagues.


Not arguing whether or not I think its a dick move. I don't see at all how we would be at risk. No chance that a new commissioner would move one of its brightest new franchises (and no chance that CFG would move out of NY - and where would they even go?)

1. well yea my beef is with MLS allowing this to happen....i mean so far its happened to original teams, thats why MLS is ok with this i guess. others they get cash already with expansion fees so they make money out of it. though in columbus your stadium is being left behind and go to rent in Austin and pay for new stadium

2. i dont know if seattle was losing money or no one was going to see then play and eventually moved to OKC. i know those leagues are prestigious but in MLS we are still expanding i still dont think we are the maxed out level where we say ok we are full so who do we move. this is why i dont like this....we not maxed out nor are dying that we need to save the league like in the 2001 years

3. you are assuming we are still doing 20K attendance by then....more and more people are feeling frustrated there is no stadium....others are frustrated about the random home game venue changes and are letting go of their season tickets. also we dont know how long CFG is around with their monetary power.....can they move ? of course they can ....since moving franchises is allowed who knows the landscape is years from now and what city needs a "city" team ....or worse yet....they get bored out of this and say to MLS hey we packing up and going you can sell the team

 

[Gotham Gator]

What you typically don't see in grown up leagues is expansion and relocation going on at the same time. Usually relocation occurs because a league is not expanding, so the new cities have to look to existing teams if they want a franchise of their own.

Think baseball with all those growing cities in California and elsewhere taking franchises from east coast cities. No Major League teams had moved for 50 years before the Braves in 1953. That was the first of 8 moves from 1953 to 1968. This came after a long period when no new franchises were awarded - from 1901 to 1960. One expansion team joined in 1961, and two more in 1962. Finally, the leagues added 4 new teams in 1969 and 6 during the decades that followed. This greatly reduced relocation, with one in 1970, one in 1972 and the last in 2005.

 

[SoupInNYC]

1. well yea my beef is with MLS allowing this to happen....i mean so far its happened to original teams, thats why MLS is ok with this i guess. others they get cash already with expansion fees so they make money out of it. though in columbus your stadium is being left behind and go to rent in Austin and pay for new stadium

That stadium in Columbus is awful. I went to a Crew game there 6 years ago and it was awful then as well. They need to get out of there, whether or not they leave Columbus.

2. i dont know if seattle was losing money or no one was going to see then play and eventually moved to OKC. i know those leagues are prestigious but in MLS we are still expanding i still dont think we are the maxed out level where we say ok we are full so who do we move. this is why i dont like this....we not maxed out nor are dying that we need to save the league like in the 2001 years

Yeah, I don't quite recall the Seattle/OKC situation either. But I don't understand the last point. Just because the league isn't maxed out or is dying, doesn't mean the league should not take advantage of a potentially better market. If Columbus moving to Austin brought even 80% of the bump that new teams have seen, it would be a success. 2015 saw NYCFC and Orlando have the 2nd and 3rd largest attendances out of 20 teams. This last year, those both took 4th and 5th. This year, Atlanta finished 1st in attendance and awful Minnesota finished 10th out of 22 (in a stadium that is not their home). 2015 Columbus 16th out of 20, in a season which they hosted the MLS Cup Final. This year they are 20th out of 22, in a year which they will at the least be in the Eastern Conference Final.

3. you are assuming we are still doing 20K attendance by then....more and more people are feeling frustrated there is no stadium....others are frustrated about the random home game venue changes and are letting go of their season tickets. also we dont know how long CFG is around with their monetary power.....can they move ? of course they can ....since moving franchises is allowed who knows the landscape is years from now and what city needs a "city" team ....or worse yet....they get bored out of this and say to MLS hey we packing up and going you can sell the team

Sure, I'm assuming that. But on the flip side, you are assuming the team does not perform as well and there is no stadium announcement (which, yes, take it with a grain of salt, but based on news and other releases, sounds like should happen within the next year).

I don't know what you mean by how long CFG is around with monetary power. Like, what do you mean by that?

And yes, I am fully aware that CFG can move if they wanted. But I don't see foreign investors starting a club in NYC (where this is not a team) leaving for another market that isn't currently in use. NO. WAY.

I won't address the scenario where CFG "gets bored" of MLS. In a league where club values are skyrocketing in a ever-growing soccer market (this is realized around the world).


Look, I'm not saying that this isn't a dick move at all. I really do feel for the fans of Columbus. All I'm saying is that this looks to be a move that will benefit the league in the long run.