Difference between revisions of "General Media"
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===Crew SC captain Wil Trapp achieves small milestone amid franchise turmoil=== | ===Crew SC captain Wil Trapp achieves small milestone amid franchise turmoil=== | ||
''By Ben Ferree | July 18, 2018'' | ''By Ben Ferree | July 18, 2018'' | ||
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Clark agrees. He called the #SaveTheCrew movement "just awesome," and said it’s incredible to see the passion of the people. | Clark agrees. He called the #SaveTheCrew movement "just awesome," and said it’s incredible to see the passion of the people. | ||
Revision as of 16:40, 21 July 2018
Smith: As U.S. Soccer crumples, professional soccer in Central Texas potentially blossoms
By Zach Smith | October 18, 2017
I know the Crew would do well here. But it's hard for me to think of everything they've built in Ohio and know the people and the supporters that are so passionate and make the sport great lose everything.
Admittedly, my opinion is biased because of my personal connection to Columbus. But that doesn't change what I think a relocation would do to both fanbases.
Austin deserves an MLS team, but this isn't the right one. - Source Hill Country News
Save The Crew, A statement on behalf of the 107IST Board of Directors
By Sherrilynn Rawson | October 19, 2017
"The 107IST Board of Directors is in solidarity with Crew supporters in opposing a proposed move of the Columbus Crew to Austin."
"If it can happen to a team as foundational to the origins and history of MLS as the Columbus Crew, it can happen anywhere.
Team owners, management, and front office staff people come and go, but supporters remain and persist. If Precourt wants to purchase a team elsewhere or invest in an expansion franchise he is welcome to do so; but he should leave the Crew out of his machinations. Columbus Crew as a team and institution belongs to the city of Columbus and to its supporters, and that is where it should remain."
Source Timber's Army
Supporters Groups Across MLS Come to Defense of Soccer Brethren in Columbus
By John Bava | October 19, 2017
Enter the supporters groups of literally every single team in Major League Soccer. During a depressing time of uncertainty regarding the future of the league in Columbus, they’ve come out in complete solidarity with Crew fans. It’s emerged in a variety of forms on social media. But perhaps the most inspiring example is fans changing their favorite club’s colors to black and gold. The following tweet from the Hudson Street Hooligans paints a uniform picture on how massive supporters across the league have been in that regard.
Source Last Word on Soccer
Thousands Turn Out For 'Save the Crew' Rally Downtown
By Steve Brown | October 23, 2017
The steps outside Columbus City Hall turned into a sea of black and gold on Sunday as thousands of Crew SC fans turned out for a “Save the Crew” rally. The rally came five days after team owner Anthony Precourt confirmed reports that he’s exploring moving the soccer club to Austin, Texas, unless a new downtown stadium is built in Columbus. - Source WOSU
Where can an owner move their football club 1,000 miles on a whim? America
By Jakub Frankowicz | October 26, 2017
The thought of one of MLS’s founding clubs suddenly moving rattled the fans in the Nordecke, the supporters group coalition for the Crew. The Nordecke called for a #SavetheCrew Rally and they have enjoyed broad support from fans across the league. - Source The Guardian
#SaveTheCrew signs take over College GameDay
By ESPN | October 28, 2017 Source ESPN
#SaveTheCrew: La Voce Dei Tifosi È L’Unice Che Conta [The Voice of the Fans is the Only One That Matters]
By Homer Jay | October 29, 2017
Sono tutto, i tifosi. Potrai forse togliere l’Argentina dalla mente e dal cuore di un futbolista, ma non potrai mai togliere la squadra per cui soffri ogni domenica dal cuore di un tifoso. Perché quel muscolo involontario batte volontariamente per la squadra della tua città, corre al ritmo dei tuoi giocatori, balla ai cori della tua curva, esulta ai gol dei tuoi beniamini. Custode del sacro fuoco, è l’unico vero proprietario, pur non stringendo altro che una bandiera o una sciarpa, pur non indossando altro che una maglietta e un cappellino, pur non parlando altro che la lingua del cuore. L’unica che nel calcio andrebbe veramente ascoltata
[I'm everything, the fans. You can perhaps remove Argentina from the mind and heart of a futbolist, but you can never remove the team you suffer for every Sunday from the heart of a fan. Because that involuntary muscle voluntarily beats for the team of your city, runs to the rhythm of your players, dances to the chorus of your curve, rejoices to the goals of your favorites. Guardian of the sacred fire, the fan is the only true owner, although he is holding nothing but a flag or a scarf, although he is wearing nothing but a shirt and a cap, although he does not speak anything other than the language of the heart. The only one that really should be heard in football] - Source MLS Soccer Italia
How #SaveTheCrew grew from hashtag and Twitter DM to nationwide movement
By Henry Bushnell | October 31, 2017
After the 2,000 Ohioans dispersed on that Sunday afternoon, Crew–related banners or signs popped up at at least 10 of the 11 MLS stadiums hosting Decision Day matches. They have appeared at NFL, NHL, and USL games, and could soon appear overseas. They represent a sentiment that has materialized into public statements from other supporters groups, into vocal opposition to Precourt in other markets, and into widespread support for the resistance. - Source Yahoo Sports
Is This MLS Team Worth Saving?
By Copa90 US | November 3, 2017
When news broke about the Columbus Crew possibly relocating to Austin - supporters around the world took notice. Columbus has been a staple in MLS since Day 1 of the league & the idea that they could be moved on an owner’s whim shook the football world. - COPA90 US Source YouTube
Matt Lampson says he knows “for a fact” the Crew cut their marketing budget
World of Bone podcast, Matt Lampson | November 15, 2017
Audio 34:10 - 34:20 “I actually know for a fact they cut their marketing budget. As they should, if he’s going to move the team then why should he spend money to market here?”
Audio 34:34 - 34:50 “Ultimately, he [Precourt] lied from the get-go. It’s pretty clear that he is a disingenuous person… But he wants to make money.”
Audio 35:10 - 35:16 Interviewer (Bone) asks whether Precourt was fully invested in making Columbus work, Lampson says “Absolutely not.”
Three things: Being happy with 0-0, and sabotage by Precourt
By Andy Edwards | November 21, 2017
How low is Anthony Precourt willing to go in order to sabotage Crew SC, the club he owns and efforts to move to Austin, Tex., without so much as a phony attempt at a non-relocation resolution, and alienate the fans that have supported the franchise since MLS’s debut season in 1996? Tuesday night saw Precourt and Co. up the ante as they intentionally restricted entry (two gates for the entire stadium, causing thousands to miss the game’s opening minutes) into MAPFRE Stadium with the presumed intent of a half-empty venue when the television broadcast kicked off and panned left to right. - Source NBC Sports
Time's a-wasting for MLS to get cracking on to-do list
By Jon Marthaler | December 15, 2017
Columbus is one of the league’s founding members. In some ways, its stadium — the venue for many of the men’s national team’s most memorable victories, all against Mexico — is the spiritual home of American soccer. Throwing all of that away over declining revenue would be a slap in the face to every fan who has loyally followed the league through all of its varied missteps. If nothing else, the Crew has to stay in Columbus to let MLS fans know that they matter more than the pocketbooks of team owners. - Source Star Tribune
Viewpoints: Why Austin voters may have the last say in MLS turf deal
By Editorial Board | December 15, 2017
The charter states: “The council shall have no power to, and shall not: Sell, convey, lease, mortgage, or otherwise alienate any land which is now, or shall hereafter be, dedicated for park purposes, unless the qualified voters of the city shall authorize such act by adopting in a general or special election a proposition submitting the question and setting forth the terms and conditions under which such sale, conveyance, lease, mortgage, or other alienation is to be made.” - Source My Statesman
Why Columbus Crew Moving To Austin Must Not Happen, For The Sake Of MLS
By Tom Scholes | February 4, 2018
“But ultimately I feel there are two things to remember with this whole situation. Firstly, it’s the fans that suffer the most from all of this. The original Crew fans from Columbus who have been with this team from 1994 and have experienced highs and lows every single step of the way. They’ve been almost forgotten about in this whole ordeal and their #SaveTheCrew campaign has been fantastic to watch grow and gain more support.” - Source Medium article from Football Italia & These Football Times writer
Goodbye Columbus?
By Brian Everett | February 16, 2018
As I fight to save my team, I find myself encouraged by your story. A story about a community in the south-west of London who refused to be told who their team was or how far they would need to travel to support them. I learned about the founding of Milton Keynes and the rebirth of AFC Wimbledon thanks to the supporters. I read about a team that went from open try-outs on the common all the way to League One in a little over a decade. - Source The Don's Trust, Owner's of AFC Wimbledon a club that replaced another that was controversially moved from Wimbledon to Milton Keynes in 2003
By Graham Parker | March 2, 2018
The Columbus story in particular highlighted that sense of ownership. When it was revealed on the eve of last season’s playoffs that the team’s owner, Anthony Precourt, was working behind the scenes — with the league’s aid, if not blessing — to move the club to Austin, Tex., Crew fans mutinied. A grass-roots opposition was formed to lobby city and state leaders to keep the team in Ohio, and a hashtag campaign — #SaveTheCrew — quickly spread from social media to banners in other M.L.S. cities, and even in other sports.
The message to Precourt and the league was clear: Columbus fans would not abandon the decades of cultural capital they had expended without a fight. - Source NY Times
Ohio Attorney General sues to prevent Crew relocation
By Nicholas Mendola | March 5, 2018
The good guys and girls could win. Of course every owner is allowed to move a team, but the way Precourt Sports Ventures has conducted itself — from nascent “except for Austin” clauses in its contract to the limiting of entrances at a playoff game to make the stadium look empty at opening kick — has been extremely off-putting. - Source NBC Sports
MLS commissioner Don Garber's 'preference' is for the Crew 'to stay in Columbus'
Jonathan Tannenwald | March 13, 2018
Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber told the Inquirer and Daily News on Tuesday that he hopes for “a solution” that would allow the Columbus Crew to stay in that city, instead of moving to Austin, Texas as owner Anthony Precourt has threatened. - Source Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News
Columbus soccer move deserves English-style resistance
By Jon Marthaler | March 16, 2018
Columbus Crew owner Anthony Precourt is the most hated man in the league right now, because of his harebrained scheme to move his team to Austin, Texas. This is potentially the team’s last season in Columbus. You could imagine Crew fans gathering beneath the owner’s box, as West Ham fans did, to chant at Precourt, “You’ve destroyed our club.” This isn’t the kind of passion that MLS wants to build. The obvious solution is for the league to unequivocally state that the Crew is staying in Columbus, but MLS is currently too caught up in raking in expansion fees to be bothered with the franchise stability of a club that doesn’t make big money. In this case, West Ham-style anger is justified. MLS needs to reverse tack before — as in east London — the situation gets out of hand. - Source Star Tribune
Goodbye, Columbus. You didn’t deserve to be abandoned by the Crew
By Steven Goff | March 26, 2018
Pulling the Crew out of Columbus is a two-footed, studs-up tackle, deserving of a red card and lengthy suspension. Unfortunately, the referee — in this case, league headquarters — is complicit.
...
But Columbus has played an important role in shaping soccer in this country in the past two decades. Aside from hosting the dos-a-cero U.S. victories over Mexico (until, at least, the latest World Cup qualifying cycle), Columbus proved in MLS’s early years that a city off soccer’s demographic radar would take to the sport. This was a big deal because it laid the foundation for the league to enter markets such as Salt Lake City, Orlando, Minneapolis and, coming soon, Nashville. - Washington Post Source Washington Post
A long way from home
By Blogger from America | March 29, 2018
The fans - as you may guess - are rather miffed and some are boycotting matches. So attendances have fallen, giving more ammunition to the owner that he could do better in the Lone Star state. Adding another wrinkle, MLS approved the switch, but could be getting sued if it happens. The nearby city of San Antonio are set to launch their own MLS side and are angry the authorities have given permission for a rival to appear in Austin. - Source Chelsea FC Blog
Columbus Attorney accuses Precourt, MLS of ‘factual misdirection’ in lawsuit
By Evan Weese | April 23, 2018
Anthony Precourt identified himself as “Owner/Chairman” of Crew SC until the league on Friday made its case for dismissing the lawsuit. Precourt’s Twitter profile now reads “Investor/Operator and Chairman.” - Source ProSoccerUSA
2018 MLS Ambition Rankings: Which Clubs Raise the Bar Highest as the League Grows?
By Brian Straus and Grant Wahl | April 23, 2018
23. COLUMBUS CREW (LAST YEAR: 19) - Either Anthony Precourt didn’t have the means, skill or commitment to make the Crew successful in Columbus, or he willfully sandbagged the club in order to justify his desired exit. For the purposes of this ranking, it doesn’t matter—both are a long, long way from ambitious. - Source Sports Illustrated
How three cities are fighting back against the oldest scam in US sports
By Elliott Turner | May 8, 2018
Billionaire owners have for years leveraged the threat of relocation to line their pockets. Here’s how three cities are fighting back against one of the longest-running scams in American sports
Does this story sound familiar: a sports team pleads poverty and gets public funds to build a new stadium. A few years later, that same team changes hands at a massive valuation. A decade or two later, the team gripes about the stadium and leaves town. To the dismay of local fans and politicos, taxpayers are stuck with a tenant-less stadium and a sizable bill. - Source The Guardian
The anatomy of a one-week Jason Dufner hat deal
By Dylan Dethier | May 31, 2018
At his Tuesday defending champion's press conference, Dufner sported a lid that read "Save The Crew," referring to the Columbus-based MLS team that may be relocated to Austin, Tex. Dufner, himself an Ohio native, related to the cause.
"I wouldn't say I'm extremely passionate about soccer, but I can identify with what they're going through, being from Cleveland, losing the Browns, I think that was in the early '90s," he said.
Source Golf.com
Columbus Crew: Two US cities fight over one football team
By James Jeffrey | May 27, 2018
When a leading US football team announced it wanted to move across the country, its fans were floored. Even though such moves are common in other American professional sports, it hasn't been part of Major League Soccer culture - until now. - Source BBC
#SaveTheCrew Effort Hits Junior Ranks
By Emily Whitcomb | June 1, 2018
That's despite the fact that the Crew are one of the first clubs in MLS, they made the Cup finals in 2015, and they have a strong fan base. Those fans are organizing to try to persuade Precourt and MLS to understand how important the club is to the fabric of the soccer community. This effort is called #SaveTheCrew.
The Columbus Crew also has a youth soccer development program called Crew Jr.’s that many local children play for. According to a March Columbus Crew SC press release, if the Crew move, the Crew Jr’s program will undergo changes and it will become Sporting Columbus. This will happen for the 2018-2019 youth club season. New uniforms and some new coaches will give the club a different look. The #SaveTheCrew campaign has major implications for this youth soccer program. - Source SI Kids
MLS could lose more than Columbus fans if owners complete Austin relocation
By Daniel Rouse | June 8, 2018
This move would force upheaval or even redundancy on staff - both on and off the pitch - while allowing a city to sneak ahead of others that actually applied for an expansion franchise (and running the risk of provoking similar MLS relocations) and making a mockery of the community ties that have underpinned recent years of Garber's spiel. - Source theScore
FC Cincinnati fans heading to Columbus to “Save the Crew”
By Geoff Redick | June 9 2018
A few dozen fans of Cincinnati’s soccer club are planning a road trip north on Saturday afternoon, to cheer on the Columbus Crew SC against the New York Red Bulls.
The goodwill visit has a second purpose: supporting the “Save the Crew” movement as the team’s ownership explores a move to Austin, Texas next year. FC Cincinnati fans are eager for an Ohio-based rivalry, after their team was awarded a Major League Soccer expansion franchise just last week. - Source WSYX ABC 6
Grumet: Austin’s MLS stadium numbers aren’t as strong as they look
By Bridget Grumet | June 19, 2018
Austin is crunching and weighing all kinds of numbers as Precourt Sports Ventures, which owns the Columbus Crew SC, pushes for a commitment soon on soccer stadium negotiations. Precourt is asking for virtually free use of city-owned land at McKalla Place, where it would build a stadium that would pay no property taxes.
Make no mistake: Very real money is on the line. - Source Statesman
Crew SC captain Wil Trapp achieves small milestone amid franchise turmoil
By Ben Ferree | July 18, 2018
Clark agrees. He called the #SaveTheCrew movement "just awesome," and said it’s incredible to see the passion of the people.
"The people that have been at the forefront of this movement, the amount of time, effort, their own money that they’ve sacrificed, it’s incredible. The save the crew movement has taken the right approach. They’re showing the world their support of the team. With social media, all the other MLS teams that have supported the Crew’s efforts with #SaveTheCrew signs, even our competitor’s stands. All around the world you see save the Crew stuff."
"It makes you feel really good that you’re a part of something that means this much to people’s lives. I can’t imagine an ownership group not looking at that and saying, ‘I’d love to have a customer base that is that loyal.’"
Source Pro Soccer USA
Justin Meram Returns to Columbus Amidst Turmoil at Current and Former Club
By John Bava | July 20, 2018
Tangential as a small number of unruly fans may appear, it is part and parcel of the turmoil Orlando City is dealing with in 2018. The club’s opponent this weekend, whose recent history Meram is a huge part of, has its own fan-related issue. But it doesn’t have to do with verbal abuse directed at players. It involves a slumlord owner royally screwing over fans in Columbus by engineering a sickening betrayal replete with a toxic concoction of false narratives all the while letting the league’s first soccer-specific stadium fall into disrepair.
Meram is on record voicing his displeasure at these developments. Speaking to ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle a few days after officially getting traded to Orlando, he made it pretty clear that the situation involving the club’s future in Columbus played a part in his desire for a change of scenery.
"It had an impact on my decision. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t," Meram told Carlisle. "Let’s be real, the Columbus Crew is the team that drafted me in 2011 and gave me a chance to fulfill my dream. I have so much love for that city and for that club and for those fans. So for me, hearing the news is definitely not easy, and I hope the team stays, and I hope it all works out for them."
Source Last Word on Soccer