SOCCER TEAM EXPLORES MOVE TO AUSTIN
Owner of Columbus Crew SC says he wants out of Ohio if a new stadium isn’t built, and he loves what Austin has to offer.
Luring an inaugural major league sports franchise to Austin advanced Tuesday from a far-fetched idea to a legitimate possibility.
Anthony Precourt, chief executive officer of Precourt Sports Ventures, announced his intention to move Columbus Crew SC, a Major League Soccer franchise, from the capital city of Ohio to the capital of Texas in 2019.
If, that is, he can secure a stadium deal in Austin after falling short of an agreement with Columbus. MLS franchise Orlando City SC opened a 25,500-seat stadium this year that
cost $155 million. Precourt quickly sought to alleviate concerns about who would pay for it.
“I am not asking for tax dollars. I want to make that clear. This will be privately financed,” he told the American-Statesman on Tuesday.
will seek local investors.” MLS prefers downtown stadiums for its teams, and early media reports about possible Austin sites have mentioned property adjacent to Lady Bird Lake, land near Zilker Park or tracts in near-East Austin.
“We are just initiating this process.
‘I believe in the power of Austin, Texas. Itiss uch an attractive place to live and play.' Anthony Precourt chief executive officer of Precourt Sports Ventures
It’s too preliminary to talk about sites,” said Precourt, who flew to Austin late Tuesday and will make the media rounds Wednesday. “The right stadium location is a key component. Operating in the urban core is important. We’ve got to try to find that, and it will take time.”
Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber supports the Crew SC’s possible move to Austin. His league even took out trademarks this summer on two potential names, Austin FC and Austin Athletic.
“As attendance leaguewide continues to grow on a record-setting pace, and markets across the country seek to join MLS, Columbus’ situation is particularly concerning,” Garber said. “Columbus 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.”
Circuit of the Americas chairman Bobby Epstein, who announced this summer that he will bring the United Soccer League back to Austin in 2019 to play in a 5,000-seat stadium at the race track, is not involved with Precourt’s group. Epstein said he will take a wait-and-see approach as to whether he goes forward with his project.
Mayor Steve Adler said Austin would make an excellent MLS market.
“Exciting news because Major League Soccer would be a huge success in Austin, and the Crew would find tons of fan support,” he said. “There is a lot of benefit that being in Austin would give a team, too, though not public funding of a stadium.”
Some media outlets have reported upcoming bond elections could include funding for a new stadium. Adler said there are no plans to hold a bond election on the issue.
Asked whether he’s had talks with city officials, Precourt said, “It’s inappropriate to talk about private conversations.”
The 2008 MLS Cup champions, who are headed to the 2017 playoffs as the Eastern Conference’s No. 5 seed, could make 20,000-seat Myers Stadium on the University of Texas a temporary home while a new facility is built.
The stadium already is home to the women’s soccer and track and field teams at UT.
“We are aware of MLS interest in Austin and have no opposition to exploring possible collaborative opportunities,” said Mike Perrin, men’s athletic director at Texas. “I don’t foresee a scheduling issue.”
Precourt insisted he is not using Austin as leverage for a better deal elsewhere.
“My interest in Austin is very sincere,” he told the Statesman. “I’ve had a longstanding affinity for this city. It’s young, vibrant, multicultural, loaded with millennials and has a rapidly growing corporate element.”
While leaving open the possibility of staying in Columbus if a “world-class” stadium can be built, he painted a dour picture of his current situation there.
“We’re on an unsustainable path,” he said. “There is a lot of room for improvement in Columbus as it relates to match-day attendance, fan base, corporate sponsorships and just generally being relevant in the city.”
Dave Greeley, president of Precourt Ventures, said, “We need to have confidence in the marketplace. We think Austin can be a dynamic market.”
Columbus businessman Alex Fischer said his group has offered to buy half the team to keep it from moving.
Precourt said that “despite reports to the contrary, no serious offer has been made to me. I’ve also made it clear we need specifics of a stadium plan first.”
Columbus doesn’t appear willing to meet Precourt’s stated need for a new facility to replace Mapfre Stadium, the league’s original purpose-built stadium that opened in 1999.
The Crew SC rank 20th of 22 teams in home attendance, averaging 15,439 fans. Forbes valued the franchise at $123 million, ranking it 21st in the MLS.
Columbus had an affiliation with the Austin Aztex in 2015, the USL team’s only year before the franchise suspended operations because of debt. The Aztex reported an average home attendance of 3,227 while playing in high school football stadiums.
“They watched the Aztex struggle here. That would lead you to think it would discourage them,” Epstein said. “It’s an odd circumstance, but I think there is a future for soccer here.”
Precourt said comparing the Aztex to an MLS team is “apples and oranges,” and he is highly intrigued by this market.
“I believe in the power of Austin, Texas,” said Precourt, a Northern California native who lived in Houston and has visited Austin numerous times.
“It is such an attractive place to live and play. The soccer demographics are good, and we’re excited about exploring the opportunity.”