If the Columbus Crew are unable to build a downtown stadium, the club will relocate to Austin, Texas in 2019.
The Crew were founded in 1994 and play at Mapfre Stadium but owner Anthony Precourt wants to relocate downtown.
Austin is the biggest city in the United States without a major professional sports franchise.
If Precourt moves the team to Austin, it’s expected it would play in a temporary facility in 2019 and ’20 before moving into a new urban soccer stadium in 2021. Austin is set to have votes in December and again in June 2018 on a soccer stadium in that city.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber supports the Crew SC in this possible move to Austin.
“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,” Garber said. “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.”