COLUMBUS – Cleveland Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam have agreed to take over the Columbus Crew SC, guaranteeing the Major League Soccer team will not relocate.
Since October, the Haslams have been working with a group headed by former team doctor Peter Edwards to keep the Crew in Ohio while exploring the possibility of buying the team. On Friday, the sides announced an agreement, ending speculation about the team’s uncertain future.
“It’s been overwhelmingly clear that Crew SC belongs in Columbus,”
the Haslams and Edwards said in a joint statement Friday. “As the stewards of Crew SC, we will always be focused on building a championship caliber team that makes the city proud, creating dynamic and memorable fan experiences and deeply engaging the community to make a positive impact.”
Before the Haslams became involved, there was a strong chance the Crew, one of the MLS’ founding franchises, was moving to Austin, Texas. The MLS is expected to award the Crew’s current owner, Precourt Sports Ventures, an expansion team in Austin. PSV had planned to relocate the team after the recently concluded season before the city, state and passionate fans stepped in to stop the move.
“We are happy for the people of Columbus and Crew SC supporters, who helped rally local government and business leaders to keep Crew SC in Columbus,” said CEO Anthony Precourt.
“Our community’s ability to collaborate, a movement of unified voices, an intense passion for soccer and an unwavering love of Columbus created the heartbeat to drive a once-in-a-lifetime accomplishment, said Mayor Andrew Ginther and Alex Fischer, president and CEO of the Columbus Partnership, in a joint statement.
Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein announced that the city and the State of Ohio have filed a notice with the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas to dismiss their joint lawsuit against MLS and PSV, which accused the two of violating Ohio’s “Modell Law,” a statute named after a former Browns owner and designed to prevent team owners from summarily relocating teams that receive public support.
“Our goal when we originally filed this lawsuit was to ensure Ohio law was followed, proper notice of a potential move was given, and ample opportunity was provided for local investors to purchase the team,” Attorney General and governor-elect Mike DeWine said.
“Of course, the Crew’s tremendous fans have been an integral part of this process, showing soccer fans across the country that the Crew belongs in Columbus,” DeWine said.
Columbus officials this month announced that MAPFRE Stadium, the Crew’s home since 1999, is being repurposed as a community sports park and training facility.
Plans have been unveiled for a new stadium in the Arena District, meeting a condition needed for Major League Soccer’s approval of the sale.