MLS: All in place for Austin FC expansion and Columbus Crew protection

Austin FC and supporters greet 2019 awaiting MLS expansion. It was a tough, long journey to get to this spot but all they need now is the date. And in the process, not only is Austin on the verge of expansion, but the Columbus Crew have been protected.

With the league officially getting behind Austin’s Major League Soccer expansion, they’ve gotten a stadium plan approved and lease signed.

In fact, Austin FC supporters couldn’t even wait for stadium groundbreaking. They’ve already tailgated. And in looking for one pro soccer franchise, somehow the efforts have landed two teams for Austin.

The Austin FC MLS expansion effort started five years ago. Outside Austin, Anthony Precourt and his Precourt Sports Ventures tagged the city as one of the largest without a top-tier pro sports franchise.

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At that time, Precourt owned Columbus Crew SC in MLS. He started the unpopular process of researching a move to Austin for the Crew. The process got profoundly unpopular once Precourt’s organization started negotiations to move the team. The negotiations involved sites for an MLS Stadium and practice facilities. And then, with strong pushback from Crew supporters in Columbus, a move to locate a new USL team also erupted.

The Ohio state government even got involved. After their previous NFL franchise left town, a law got voted on the books that sports franchises couldn’t move without a fight. Legal measures against Precourt Sports Ventures were filed.

As it turned out, the Precourt group played out the procedure according to state law, and, in the end, all supporters got their teams. Columbus Crew SC stays put with a new ownership group. At the same time, MLS announced a clear path for Austin FC to become a new MLS expansion franchise, happening no later than 2021.

But just in case the MLS effort didn’t work out, an independent ownership group landed a USL soccer team commitment. The MLS group locked in a stadium deal at Austin’s 24-acre McKalla Place on the city’s north side, with the USL group broke ground on a stadium for Austin Bold FC at the city’s Circuit of the America’s complex, the only U.S. track featuring Formula 1 and MotoGP races, among many other events.

But Austin Anthem, the MLS expansion supporters group, will accept nothing short of the top-tier franchise they’re getting. They’re keeping so close to developments that anyone with questions can get answers in their Facebook chats.

Most importantly, they’ve gotten everything supporters worked for over the past five years except the final announcement. While the date wasn’t set, that announcement has been assured. Real win-win finishes don’t really happen that often. Real life is full of compromise. Rarely do things fall into place. But that is just what has happened here, even with the anguish of considering the Columbus Crew move to Austin.

So in the case of Austin FC and supporters Austin Anthem — and don’t forget Columbus Crew SC and their supporters — everyone got their teams. This is a success story for MLS to champion.