What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (7 Viewers)

NewlyRetired said:
I forgot that Orlando City was originally from Austin back in their minor league days.

One funny note about this some one found on reddit.  About a month ago some poster with 2 total posts to his name started a thread about MLS trademarking names in Austin of which no one paid any attention to.  The posters user name was AustinCrew :)  

============

So which side leaked this whole story to the press last night?  Precourt or the people in Columbus who tried to buy the team from him?
Click to expand...
There's a Precourt press conference today, so I don't know about "leaked".  It certainly reads like this is a done deal and he has whatever land he needs in Austin to move.  

 
From Medium. ITKs around town here have been talking about it for a while.

The equation is simple: Austin Stadium Deal = Austin MLS team.
Helping to make this happen is our top priority, although if they’ve gone this far, it’s fair to say that there may already be the start of an agreement in principle around a stadium deal and possibly a specific location.

Studies and league data show that MLS clubs are most relevant and successful when playing at a downtown stadium location or at a site that is a destination for the entire community.

Translation: We’re not putting this stadium out in Elroy or up near Dell Diamond.

Speaking of Elroy, with this news, odds of Austin USL 2019 actually ever stepping foot onto the pitch at CotA themselves may have dropped significantly. We were excited to see some movement on the USL front, but Austin is ready to have a big league team and not settle for another minor league one. It’s unfortunate, but hard to be sympathetic. Versions of that club have had a half-decade head-start to lock up this market and were not able to capitalize on it.

“The stadium site itself is of paramount importance and we recognize that private funding will be key in any stadium solution,” Precourt said.

We don’t expect Austin taxpayers to pay for it, and we don’t expect the city to build it for us.

 
Sammy3469 said:
There's a Precourt press conference today, so I don't know about "leaked".  It certainly reads like this is a done deal and he has whatever land he needs in Austin to move.  
Click to expand...
If they intend to move, I hope they do what happened in SJ and leave the history of the club behind (colors, name, awards etc) in the minimal chance that the Crew can be resurrected someday.

I also hate lame duck seasons.  I would much rather see "we are moving in 2019 and will shut down for 2018 season"  

 
Here's Precourt's press release:

“As attendance League-wide continues to grow on a record-setting pace, and markets across the country seek to join MLS, Columbus’ situation is particularly concerning,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. “Despite PSV’s significant investments and improvements on and off the field, 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. The League is very reluctant to allow teams to relocate, but based on these factors, we support PSV’s efforts to explore options outside of Columbus, including Austin, provided they find a suitable stadium location.”....

Studies and league data show that MLS clubs are most relevant and successful when playing at a downtown stadium location or at a site that is a destination for the entire community.

“The stadium site itself is of paramount importance and we recognize that private funding will be key in any stadium solution,” Precourt said.
Click to expand...
I'd be interested to know which of the expansion sites are really "downtown".  I know the Raleigh one isn't. 

https://www.columbuscrewsc.com/post/2017/10/17/statement-precourt-sports-ventures

 
Sammy3469 said:
I from the start, I wondered why the San Antonio expansion bid didn't seem to have any juice.  I guess they and MLS knew about this.
Click to expand...
I was just reading that Precourt was on the MLS expansion committee.  No conflict of interest there :)  lol

At least he was removed from the committee once he started down this path. 

 
Well, there are three Southampton guys involved in those playoffs, wait, four if we count Hojbjerg!, but on the other hand all the losers plus Holland are coming over for the North American NIT next summer, right?

 
I don’t think Leicester is going to challenge for title again anytime soon...but they shouldn’t be in a relegation battle either.  Goal should be top ten finishes every year

 
shader said:
I don’t think Leicester is going to challenge for title again anytime soon...but they shouldn’t be in a relegation battle either.  Goal should be top ten finishes every year
Click to expand...
I think their goal should be not to get relegated. top 10 is a lofty ambition... not sure what kind of money they're spending on players every year, but it will take a lot, IMO.

in their position, I don't see their being able to hold on to proven difference-making guys like Mahrez or Vardy (or drinkwater or kante). hopefully they can spread that money around after sales and find quality enough replacements to keep them up and competitive enough. and then hopefully a couple of their buys prove can turn profits when sold. it's a back line that operated on smoke, mirrors and lots of kante help during the title run... now it's kanteless and 2 years older than the old age it already was with morgan and huth in the center. 

 
I just finished reading the press conference text from Precourt today.

Before I read it, I thought this was something like 75-25 in favor of moving to Austin.  After reading I have changed that stance to 95-5.  He did not mince words in praising Austin and kind of saying it can't work in Columbus with out a miracle.

And the Mayor chipped in by saying when the Government reached out to Precourt to start talks, they got no response.  That all but tells me this is nearly signed and sealed.

I still don't get the timing though, why not wait until after the season to start this talk in public?

 
Here is my shower thought for the day.

If you were to make a list of the most important items that have occurred to help get soccer where it is today in the US, the top two in their own tier would be hosting WC1994 and the signing of Beckham.

But in the very next tier of items would have to include Lamar Hunt putting up $30m of his money to build the countries first soccer stadium at a time when the league was starting its decent into almost total collapse.

Kind of ironic that it is that same stadium now that Precourt is using as his excuse to move.

 
shader said:
I don’t think Leicester is going to challenge for title again anytime soon...but they shouldn’t be in a relegation battle either.  Goal should be top ten finishes every year
Click to expand...
I think it’s crazy to expect Leicester to be a top-10 English club every year.  Hell, really big clubs like West Ham and Newscastle would most likely  sign up today to be guaranteed top-10 with no chance at the title.

 
AAABatteries said:
I think it’s crazy to expect Leicester to be a top-10 English club every year.  Hell, really big clubs like West Ham and Newscastle would most likely  sign up today to be guaranteed top-10 with no chance at the title.
Click to expand...
I kinda treat the "Little 14" like their own separate league in my head. So all those Leicester-West Brom games have real meaning to me and seventh place is a trophy.

 
NewlyRetired said:
I still don't get the timing though, why not wait until after the season to start this talk in public?
Click to expand...
Because when a whole lot of people know about something, a leak is going to happen. You have to announce as soon as the pieces are in place. Especially a deal this size.

 
AAABatteries said:
I think it’s crazy to expect Leicester to be a top-10 English club every year.  Hell, really big clubs like West Ham and Newscastle would most likely  sign up today to be guaranteed top-10 with no chance at the title.
Click to expand...
Perhaps not. But they seem to put a lot of money into the team...I’m just saying that should be their goal.  I would have called it the “Everton tier”, but Everton may have a relegation battle on their hands too.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

BLOCKED_PUNT
list index
Replies
16
Views
645
El Floppo
El Floppo
Andrew74
2025 FBG Stock Contest
2
Replies
77
Views
4K
Andrew74
Andrew74
SwampDawg
The College Soccer Experience
Replies
23
Views
943
BassNBrew
BassNBrew

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 5 (members: 1, guests: 4)
Back
Top