10 months ago, it was revealed that Columbus Crew owner Anthony Precourt was going through the motions of relocating his club to Austin, Texas. The reaction to the move was swift from almost all corners of the soccer universe. Columbus fans, naturally, were outraged, and fans of every MLS team sided with them. Even some in Austin opposed it. Precourt became a universal villain.
All relocations of sports teams are bad, from Hartford to Montreal to San Diego, but this one feels worse in a lot of contexts. For many, it’s the lying and deception that preceded it.