Courtesy of MCT
New England Revolution midfielder Chris Tierney takes a corner kick against the Columbus Crew in unfriendly territory in Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, July 20, 2013. The Revolution scored two goals in stoppage time to win the match, 2-0.
Effectively immediately, new ownership will lead the Columbus Crew, the city’s Major
League Soccer franchise, as announced during a press conference at Crew Stadium
July 30.
Precourt Sports Ventures, LLC, has acquired the team from the Hunt Sports Group
for an undisclosed purchase price and is now a 100 percent stakeholder. Anthony
Precourt is the managing partner of PSV and attended the press conference as the
firm’s representative.
Columbus mayor Michael Coleman and Clark Hunt, chairman of HSG and CEO of the
Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL, joined Precourt on stage.
In the context of that watershed event, Hunt spoke of his family’s role in the galvanizing
of Major League Soccer as an American mainstay.
“There was one thing that propelled the League on to success, to where it is today.
Against the odds, and against the momentum of the League, my family made the
decision to build Crew Stadium. And as a result, today there are 14 soccer-specific
stadiums in Major League Soccer,” said Hunt.
Hunt said his company had only been looking for minority investors in the team when
Precourt made the offer to buy the entire franchise earlier this summer.
“We were initially very taken aback by his interest, but after we got to know Anthony,
we concluded that he was the right guy to lead the Columbus Crew, that he would be a
great fit for the city of Columbus, that he would be somebody that would push the team
to be successful on the field,” said Hunt.
Precourt said his company “will respectfully and diligently try to uphold Lamar’s (Clark
Hunt’s father) vision for Major League Soccer and the Crew. And further, we will honor
his fan-first mentality.”
Precourt used the platform to formally greet the Greater Columbus community and to
express his anticipation of working toward success in “a dynamic, growing city with
incredible soccer heritage and a passionate soccer supporters’ fan base.”
Mayor Coleman agreed by saying “the Columbus Crew is a vital part of the fabric and
the future of the city.”
He laid out specifics of the role the Crew has played in financially bolstering the city’s
bottom line: “$400 million in direct spending, the hundreds of area jobs, the 3.5 million
people who have attended soccer matches and other events here, the millions of tax
revenue.”
The mayor said Precourt assured him during talks in the days preceding the press
conference that the team would remain in Columbus.
When the panel concluded their remarks and opened the floor for questions, one
reporter asked if Precourt had any plans of relocation.
Precourt surprised the reporters by saying, “I do live in Northern California now, and I
intend to be here on a regular basis. I’m not sure we’ll be moving here full time, but I’ll
be here very, very regularly and have a second home here.”
Continuing to speak on his vision for the team to succeed athletically, Precourt said,
“We have a competitive fire, and our intent is to run this club with a single mission: to
create the resources to win over the short run and the long run…We want to be a playoff
team every year.”
Precourt fielded questions about his ownership style, given that it will be his family’s
first journey into sports management after extensive operational experience in finance,
natural gas pipelines and facilities.
“First and foremost, I want a great culture…I want more horizontal structure where
people are empowered. I guess you’d say I’ll be hands-on and attentive and involved,
and over time, I will empower our employees to do their jobs well,” said Precourt.
Beyond the scope of the business aspects of the acquisition, Precourt was careful to
emphasize his goals for fostering a winning franchise that draws fans and gets them
excited about soccer in Columbus.
“A full stadium is a lot more exciting than a two-thirds-full stadium. There are 17 home
games, and we should fill the stadium for all 17 games,” said Precourt.
As a father, Precourt has coached youth soccer in U6 and U8 competition, but he said
he said he will stay out of the day-to-day soccer operations of the Columbus Crew.
Hunt said his company will “continue to be the investor-operator of [MLS franchise] FC
Dallas and plan on doing so for many years to come. Like Anthony, we’re a big believer
in where Major League Soccer is headed and excited to still be part of the League and
to now be a partner of Anthony’s through the League.”
