COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Major League Soccer and the owner of the Columbus Crew say they’re reviewing a lawsuit that Ohio’s attorney general and the city of Columbus filed to stop the proposed team move to Austin, Texas.
The sports entities said Tuesday they’re disappointed that litigation was chosen rather than encouraging “constructive discussions” about the team’s future. They say they’re still willing to determine if there’s a “legitimate plan” to make the team viable.
The lawsuit, announced Monday, cites a law that prohibits sports teams that have received public money from moving unless certain conditions are met. It was enacted after the original Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore in 1996.
The law says teams using publicly supported facilities must provide six months of advance notice of a move and give cities or residents near sports facilities a chance to buy the team.
The response reads:
JOINT STATEMENT FROM MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER AND PRECOURT SPORTS VENTURES“Precourt Sports Ventures and Major League Soccer are disappointed that the Ohio Attorney General and the City of Columbus have chosen to commence litigation rather than encouraging public officials in Columbus to engage in constructive discussions about the future of Columbus Crew SC.The complaint, regrettably, chooses to ignore both the facts and the law. Since acquiring the right to operate the Club in 2013, PSV has made significant investments both on and off the field to try and make Crew SC a viable enterprise in Columbus. Despite these efforts and the on-field success of the Club, Crew SC has been at or near the bottom in the League with respect to box office results and corporate support. Marketplace challenges have existed in Columbus for 22 years since the club’s founding in 1996. As a result, PSV last October announced that it would explore the possibility of relocation while also continuing to see if Columbus can be a successful MLS market, and in particular, whether there is a path to a new stadium.MLS and PSV remain willing to engage with both public officials and potential private investors in Columbus to determine if there is a legitimate plan to make Crew SC viable in Columbus, including a plan for a new stadium.Throughout this process, PSV and MLS have complied, and will continue to comply, with all relevant laws, but we strongly disagree with the AG’s and City’s interpretation of the Modell Law, its applicability to Columbus Crew SC, and the remedies they seek.”