Soccer, forever

Word came down Friday afternoon from the main office of Major League Soccer that the Columbus Crew SC – the team whose possible relocation to Austin was used as a bargaining chip of sorts for the stadium deal City Council approved this summer – might not be headed for Austin after all. The matter has been thrown into question because a group of local Ohio investors appear close to a deal to buy that team from Precourt Sports Ventures and keep it there. Initial reports have it that Austin will still have a team owned by PSV playing in a new 20,000-seat stadium in 2021, but that team would be an expansion franchise rather than a relocated team. Representatives from PSV cautioned that the possible sale in Ohio is still not final, meaning there are more questions than answers concerning the move of a professional sports team to Austin, and the use of city land to make it happen.