OT: Columbus Crew (Soccer) moving to Austin.

[TyphonInc]

Heh, love the Crewzers! I had several "friends" who were Crewzers while I was in college. Just to kinda show How "pro" Ohio State is compared to the Crew, all my friends that were Crewzers joined after being cut from OSU dance teams. 

[Brutus Buckeye]

I was always partial to the Bombshells, from the old Columbus Destroyers Arena League team. 




But alas, we are now confined to the Ohio Dance Machine. 

[TyphonInc]

Well this just got fun. Off the cuff comments are saying they don't think the law can be enforced.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine ready to sue to keep the Crew

Basically when the Brows got stolen from Cleveland, Ohio inserted a law saying if a team accepts government aid they are not allowed to leave for 6 months without attempting to sell the team first. Columbus has given The Crew 5 million in Tax breaks and parking revenue.

This is the first this law has been attempted to be enacted, I guess we will get to see if local government can stand up to whimsical billionaires.

Dewine puller the trigger and filed suit against Precourt Sports Venture, in an effort to keep the Crew in Columbus. 48 Hours later MLS and Precourt issued a joint statement saying "They strongly disagree with the application of the Modell Law."
Ohio Sues MLS And Anthony Precourt

[Brutus Buckeye]

Anthony Precourt makes donation to George Costanza's Human Fund. 

https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2018-03-23/courtship-by-precourt/
In a portion of the letter labeled "operations phase," Precourt and Greeley identify three nonprofits­ – the Boys & Girls Club of Austin, Foundation Communities, and the AISD Foundation – which could stand to benefit, they say, to the tune of "$2.5 million [in] direct cash contributions and 2,500 total annual hours of volunteerism" from PSV and its partner organizations. Addi­tion­ally, Precourt and Greeley mention the Workers Defense Project as a potential partner in the development.
What do these four nonprofits have in common? Besides being well-regarded around town, they also have not reported to have had any contact with anyone who represents Precourt Sports Ventures. The groups were included in Precourt's list as potential partners, but representatives inside some of the organizations expressed surprise to find out they were listed in the letter without any prior discussion of what their potential partnership might look like.
WDP said they've never heard from PSV, as did a representative from the Boys & Girls Club. The AISD Foundation doesn't actually exist. The Austin Ed Fund does; it used to be known as the Austin Public Education Foundation. But a spokesperson there said they also have not been contacted. Founda­tion Communities' Executive Director Walter Moreau said his nonprofit has had "zero relationship with PSV" and that he had not had any conversation about developing affordable housing in conjunction with stadium development.

[Cincydawg]

We were in Atlanta resting in the hotel room and I was channel flipping and came across a soccer game that happened to be taking place about a mile from our hotel so I watched a bit.  Interesting, they said attendance was over 73 K.

I found that fascinating.

It was being played in the new dome thingee on "turf".

[utee94]

Was the Mexican national soccer team involved?  'Cause they can sell out a stadium in the USA right quick.

[Cincydawg]

Was the Mexican national soccer team involved?  'Cause they can sell out a stadium in the USA right quick.


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mls/2018/03/11/atlanta-united-dc-united-mls-attendance-record/415386002/

The opponent was DC United.

Miguel Almiron scored a goal and set up another about two minutes apart in the second half, leading Atlanta to a 3-1 victory over D.C. United before 72,035 on Sunday.
In the home opener, Atlanta broke its own single-game mark of 71,874 for a game against Toronto last October in its inaugural season. Atlanta United has now drawn three crowds of more than 70,000 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where fans crammed into standing-room-only balconies behind one goal and temporary seating was needed at the top of the massive facility.

[Cincydawg]

Sorry, over 72 K attendance, I exaggerated.  

[Brutus Buckeye]

I'd've never guessed that humongous beetles were so rabid about regular season MLS games.

[TyphonInc]

I'd've never guessed that humongous beetles were so rabid about regular season MLS games.

It's new and shiny, and really amazing. The town seems gaga over soccer, more so than the other big tickets in town. (and tickets are 1/4 the price of the Falcons.)

[TyphonInc]

Is anyone still following this soap opera?

Austin City Council unanimously approved a hazardous waste site (Mcalla Place) to allow Precourt (PSV) to build a stadium. The approved site is only 10 miles from Downtown (as compared to the 5 miles Mapfre is from Columbus' Downtown.) However, it is only 2 miles from "The Domain" which is Austins "2nd Downtown" but from pics and google maps seems alot more like Easton here in Columbus than an actual Downtown. The city council woman Leslie Pool who didn't want Parkland to be used abstained from voting.

Here in Columbus, Judge Brown declined PSV/MLS attempt to dismiss the case. Precourt changed his twitter handle from owner/chairman to investor/operator, and then claimed MLS owns the team and they are based in Delaware, not Ohio, so Ohio law doesn't apply. *shakes head* Judge also said PSV/MLS had 14 days to figure out an acceptable NDA (non-disclosure act) or he will allow for a Discovery Phase; which everyone seems to think MLS wants to avoid. Judge Brown also added a 90 day "Toll" saying PSV/MLS had to meet with him and potential offers, that the Judge would would receive all potential offers sealed.

All that to say nothing really ruled in favor of Columbus Staying, but more of a "Hey, Precourt/MLS you have to take this process seriously."

[TyphonInc]

Heh, another fun point in PSV/MLS motion to dismiss is that Columbus never technically paid Precourt (who isn't the owner) they just gave him a tax break, their definition of "Financial Assistance" is to pay someone not to give them a discount. (I'm guessing they also don't count letting him collect Parking Revenue off the City owned State Fairgrounds parking lots doesn't count as payment either.)

These guys are clowns.

Link: PSV/MLS File Motion to Dismiss Modell Lawsuit

[utee94]

Another day in "As The Soccer Ball Turns."

Nothing would be as cool as a true downtown site, but that was never a realistic option.  There's just not enough available land.

I think Mccalla would actually be a pretty good site for an MLS soccer stadium.  The Domain isn't a "second downtown" but it is a huge mixed use development with tons of aparments and condos housing young professionals, many mid-to-high end restaurants and bars, and a ton of mid-to-high end retail.  The Mccalla site is also close to quite a few breweries with excellent tap rooms.  It has relatively good road access and potential for parking (WAY better parking than any downtown option could ever hope for), as well as good rail access from both downtown and the suburbs.

I'm certainly not saying the team SHOULD move, but if they did, that would be a decent site option.

[TyphonInc]

DRAMA!

PSV/MLS appeal in Ohio/Columbus lawsuit has been dismissed. (Link: Columbus Dispatch [Soft Paywall]) Columbus is allowed to continue to fight to keep the team in town.


Austin City Council Members issue press release to solicit other plans for McKalla Place. (Link: Columbus Dispatch) Austin said the offer PSV gave them was bunk; lets see what other offers are out there. The one public offer that's been released for mixed business/residential use claims to generate 22.5 million in tax dollars for the city compared to the .08 cents the PSV offer has listed.


and wait for it... PSV releases a statement claiming "we have no other option but to look at other cities." (Link: SB Nation) This whole shit show continues to rise.