Welcome to Community Corner, where we discuss some of soccer’s hottest topics and ask you to pick a side. This week, we turn our attention to MLS expansion. The expansion process became a wild one this past week when MLS announced a deal for Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslem to buy Columbus Crew SC, while outgoing Crew SC owner Anthony Precourt will be allowed to take his stake in MLS to Austin, where Austin FC will start at some point in the future.
The crux of the deal, however, is that while the Crew will keep the current roster and continue to play in 2019, it will be considered an expansion team, and Haslem will have to pay the MLS expansion fee to take over the franchise.