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The SaveTheCrew movement captured the imagination of soccer fans all across the country. In Columbus, after Anthony Precourt announced he was attempting to move the team to Austin, the fanbase rose up and--along with some passionate city officials--worked to keep the team where they started. Indeed, they on the cusp of securing a massive new stadium and training complex that will keep the team there for decades to come. According to a source, an economic development agreement will be announced soon, likely within the next two weeks.
It turned out to be a win-win for both cities, as Precourt and MLS managed to negotiate a deal with Austin to build a stadium which will house a MLS team starting in 2021. The latest Texas team recently announced over 30,000 in season ticket deposits.
So both cities have teams, will have new stadiums to play in and it seems like the saga has come to an end. But everyone loves a good epilogue, so I called up two reporters who have been following the story. Chris Bils works for the Austin Statesman and writes about Austin FC, while Jacob Myers covers the Crew for the Columbus Dispatch. We had a great conversation talking about how we got here, and where things go for both cities and fanbases.