Columbus Crew SC

Columbus Crew Soccer Club is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The Crew competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference and began play in 1996 as one of the ten charter clubs of the league.[4] The team is currently being operated by an ownership group led by the Haslam family and former team physician Pete Edwards. The Haslam/Edwards group is the third owner in club history.

Columbus Crew SC
Full nameColumbus Crew Soccer Club[1]
Nickname(s)The Black & Gold[2]
FoundedJune 15, 1994 (1994-06-15)
StadiumMapfre Stadium
Columbus, Ohio
Capacity19,968[3]
OwnersDee and Jimmy Haslam
JW and Whitney Johnson
Pete Edwards
PresidentTim Bezbatchenko
Head coachCaleb Porter
LeagueMajor League Soccer
2020Eastern Conference: 3rd
Overall: 4th
Playoffs: Champions
WebsiteClub website

The franchise was founded in 1994 as the Columbus Crew. Since 1999, the Crew has played home games at Mapfre Stadium, the first soccer-specific stadium ever built for an MLS team, with a seating capacity of 19,968 as of the 2015 season. From 1996 to 1998, the Crew played its home games at Ohio Stadium on the campus of The Ohio State University.[4] In 2014, the team set club attendance records for both most cumulative attendance and most sellouts.[5]

Crew SC has won six major trophies: the MLS Cup in 2008 and 2020, the Supporters' Shield in 2004, 2008, and 2009, and the 2002 U.S. Open Cup. The Crew have qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League (or its predecessor, the CONCACAF Champions' Cup) four times, reaching the quarter-finals on the first three occasions.

History

The beginning (1994–1998)
The Crew played their first game on April 13, 1996 at Ohio Stadium.

On June 15, 1994, Major League Soccer announced that Columbus, Ohio, would be home to one of the ten founding members of the new top flight North American professional soccer league. Columbus had promised construction of a soccer-specific stadium and had sold over 12,000 season ticket deposits.[6] The team was tentatively named the Columbus Eclipse in its application to the league, as a solar eclipse had passed over the city after reaching the league's 10,000-deposit minimum, but it was eventually renamed the Crew.[7]

MLS investor Lamar Hunt, and his son Clark became the owners of both the Columbus Crew and Kansas City Wizards in 1996. The first players for the Crew were South African national team veteran Doctor Khumalo, by assignment, and Brian McBride. McBride was selected as the first overall pick in MLS's first draft in 1996. Former U.S. National Team coach Timo Liekoski would be the team's head coach for its first season.[8][9]

The Crew played their first game on April 13, 1996 in front of a home crowd of 25,266 in Ohio Stadium against D.C. United and won 4–0.[10] Columbus would struggle, however, winning only 5 of their next 21 games. After the 6–16 start, Tom Fitzgerald replaced head coach Liekoski.[11] The Crew, under Fitzgerald, won 9 of their last 10 games to finish fourth in the Eastern Conference. They went on to lose in the conference playoff semi-finals.[12]

The Black & Gold finished 15–17 in both 1997 and 1998, which put them in third and fourth place, respectively, in the Eastern Conference. Each season ended with losses in the Conference Finals to D.C. United. The Crew reached the 1998 U.S. Open Cup Final, however, the match was postponed due to a hurricane and controversially relocated from Virginia Beach to Soldier Field in Chicago then the home of Chicago Fire, who won the match 2 to 1 after extra time. Stern John, in his first of two seasons with Columbus, was the 1998 scoring champion, amassing 26 goals and 5 assists.[9][12]

A new home (1999–2003)

Columbus's 1999 season began with the opening of Columbus Crew Stadium, the first soccer-specific stadium in the United States. Columbus won their first game in the stadium, 2–0, against New England Revolution in front of a sell-out crowd of 24,741. Columbus would finish in second place at 19–13, but would lose in the conference finals to D.C. United for the third straight season. The 1999 season was the last for Stern John who scored 52 goals in 65 games for the club.[9] The team had the lowest goals against average in the Eastern Conference,[13] and Mark Dougherty became the first goalkeeper in league history to record 50 wins, with a 4–2 win over the MetroStars on August 18, 1999 at Giants Stadium.[14]

Dante Washington was acquired from the Dallas Burn to replace John, but his 13 goals in 2000 was not enough to propel the Crew to the playoffs. For the first time, Columbus failed to reach the postseason. Columbus got off to a slow 1–3–2 start in 2001, which led to the replacement of coach Tom Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald, who had coached 161 of the Crew's first 183 MLS matches over parts of six seasons between 1996 and 2001, was replaced by Greg Andrulis. Andrulis would lead the Black & Gold to a 2nd-place finish in 2001 but the team was ousted from the playoffs in the league quarterfinals.[9][12]

In 2002, Columbus would win the U.S. Open Cup for the first time in team history. They advanced to the finals by beating the Richmond Kickers, MetroStars, and Kansas City Wizards. In the final, they beat LA Galaxy, who had just won the MLS Cup earlier in the week. Freddy García scored the only goal and keeper Jon Busch posted the shutout in Columbus's 1–0 win. It was the first championship in team history.[15] The Crew finished 11–12–5 in the regular season and finished in a tie for first place. They lost in the league semi-finals to New England. Kyle Martino won rookie of the year in 2002, a first for the Crew. By winning the 2002 U.S. Open Cup, Columbus received a bid to play in the 2003 CONCACAF Champions' Cup. They advanced to the second round by beating Árabe Unido 4–2 on aggregate in the first round before losing to Monarcas Morelia, 6–2. McBride would play his final season with Columbus in 2003 before joining Fulham of the Premier League.[9][12]

Transitions (2004–2006)

With the departure of Brian McBride, Columbus added Robin Fraser and Simon Elliott to the club. These additions proved to be vital as Fraser went on to win the Defender of the Year award in 2004. The Crew set a franchise record for points, 49, by going 12–5–13, thanks in part to an 18-game unbeaten streak (8–0–10) to end the season. Despite winning the Supporters' Shield for best record in the league, the club would be eliminated from the MLS Cup in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. In his last season for the Black & Gold, Jeff Cunningham scored his 62nd goal, which tied him with McBride for the franchise record.[9][12]

Over both of the next two seasons, Columbus battled injuries to several players and struggled to win many games. Despite winning the MLS Coach of the Year Award in 2004,[16] Andrulis was replaced on an interim basis by Robert Warzycha midway through the 2005 season. After missing playoffs in the 2005 season, the club would hire former L.A. Galaxy and UCLA head coach Sigi Schmid. Schmid had won an MLS Cup and U.S. Open Championship in his six seasons with Galaxy.[17] Warzycha remained on staff under Schmid. In 2006, the Crew went on a 13-game winless streak (0–7–6) between June 10 and August 19. The season ended on a tragic note when team founder and owner Lamar Hunt died on December 14, 2006.[9][12][18]

Around this time, Columbus Crew supporters began using the term "Massive" to describe the club and city, at first ironically, but then as a term of pride and endearment of the club that continuously fought the odds.[19]

The Barros Schelotto era (2007–2010)
The Crew signed Guillermo Barros Schelotto in 2007, who helped them reach their first MLS Cup the next year.

The 2007 season in Major League Soccer started with news that global icon David Beckham signed with the LA Galaxy.[20] The Crew followed suit by signing Guillermo Barros Schelotto on April 19, 2007.[21] Columbus also signed forward Alejandro Moreno to bolster its attack. Even with these new players, the Crew still missed the playoffs in 2007.[9]

In 2008, the Crew won its first MLS Cup. Led by Barros Schelotto, who scored seven goals and had 19 assists and won the MLS Most Valuable Player Award,[22] the team also won its second Supporters' Shield. After going 17–7–6 in the regular season, the Black & Gold won playoff games against Kansas City and Chicago Fire before beating the New York Red Bulls 3–1 in the final. Chad Marshall won MLS Defender of the Year award, and Sigi Schmid won Coach of the Year.[9][12]

After the 2008 season, Sigi Schmid left Columbus to coach Seattle Sounders FC, and the team named former player and assistant coach Robert Warzycha head coach. In 2009, Barros Schelotto was rewarded with the honor of becoming the franchise's first Designated Player.[23] The club went 13–7–10 in the regular season, good enough for 49 points and their second consecutive Supporters' Shield. The Crew was eliminated by Real Salt Lake in the two-legged Eastern Conference semi-finals, 4–2 on aggregate. Chad Marshall won his second consecutive MLS Defender of the Year award.[9]

Columbus started the 2010 season in the CONCACAF Champions League. They reached the quarterfinals, but lost to Toluca in March. The club finished the season 14–8–8, but lost in the quarter-finals of the MLS Cup playoffs to the Colorado Rapids. The Crew lost 2–1 in the 2010 U.S. Open Cup Final at Qwest Field, home of Seattle Sounders FC.[9]

Warzycha's Final Years (2011–2013)

In 2011, the Crew finished ninth in the league at 13–13–8 and lost in the wild card round of the playoffs to the Colorado Rapids.[24][25]

In 2012, the club finished sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 15–12–7 record. They would narrowly miss the playoffs.

On September 2, 2013 the Crew parted ways with Head Coach Robert Warzycha after an embarrassing home loss to the Seattle Sounders, combined with a highly frustrated fanbase. Brian Bliss, the Crew's technical director, took over as interim head coach.[26] This effectively ended his stay with the club since 1996, when he joined the club as a player.

Gregg Berhalter era (2013–2018)

On July 30, 2013, Anthony Precourt became the second investor-operator in the history of the club.[27] Precourt upgraded portions of Crew Stadium, as well as evolving the team's brand in a way that identified with the city of Columbus, all within his first 15 months with the club.

On November 6, 2013, Precourt announced that Gregg Berhalter would be the club's new head coach.[28] Berhalter also became the first sporting director in club history.

The 2014 season saw Columbus return to the postseason for the first time since 2011. Under Berhalter, the Crew finished the year 14–10–10, good enough for the third seed in the Eastern Conference of the MLS Cup Playoffs.

The Crew also sent two of its players to the 2014 FIFA World Cup, center back Giancarlo González and left back Waylon Francis, who both represented Costa Rica during the tournament. Gonzalez was hailed for his performance, being named to ESPN's Best XI of the group stage.[29]

Berhalter was nominated for 2014 MLS Head Coach of the Year. Likewise, goalkeeper Steve Clark was nominated for 2014 Goalkeeper of the Year and Michael Parkhurst won the Individual Fair Play Award for the third time.[30]

Off the field, the Black & Gold announced sports industry veteran Andy Loughnane as its new President of Business Operations on August 16, 2014. [31] The team set the all-time attendance record and sellout record for a single season at Crew Stadium.[5] The combination of the club's on-field success and off-field resurgence capped a successful full first year for Precourt and Berhalter.

On October 8, 2014, the Precourt ownership changed the name and logo of the club, changing the name from "Columbus Crew" to "Columbus Crew SC".[32]

The beginning of the 2015 season started in late 2014 with the return of Kei Kamara.[33] Kamara proved to be beneficial as he scored 22 regular season goals and 4 playoff goals. Along with Kamara, Ethan Finlay and Waylon Francis received spots in the MLS All-Star game versus English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur.[34] On September 26, 2015, Crew SC hosted their largest sellout crowd since 2008 with an announced attendance of 22,719.[35] Crew SC came into the playoffs with a bye in the first round after securing second place in the Eastern Conference. Following the Eastern Conference semi-final and final match-ups, Crew SC played host to the Portland Timbers in the 2015 MLS Cup Final.[36] This was the club's second-ever MLS Cup Final appearance after the 2008 MLS Cup championship. The Crew was upset by the Portland Timbers at home following the 2–1 loss. All three goals were scored in the first half including the lone Crew SC goal scored by Kamara.[37] Kamara was nominated for the Landon Donovan MLS MVP Award. Kamara was also nominated for and won the MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year Award. Wil Trapp was nominated for the MLS Comeback Player of the Year Award.[38][39]

Proposed relocation to Austin

A Save the Crew tifo before a game against the Chicago Fire in 2018

On October 17, 2017, Precourt announced intentions to relocate the franchise to Austin, Texas if a downtown stadium could not be secured in Columbus.[40] Following the news, fans and supporters of the club began a campaign and movement being known as #SaveTheCrew. Many had been present in the city's council building on behalf of the cause. Later in the month, it was revealed that Precourt had a clause in his purchase of the club that would allow him to only relocate the franchise to Austin.[41]

On November 15, 2017, Precourt and MLS Commissioner Don Garber met with Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, and civic and business leaders in New York City about the Crew's future in Columbus. After the meeting, both sides issued press releases detailing the meeting. Per the delegation from Columbus, Precourt and MLS refused to take the relocation threat off the table.[42] Per Precourt and MLS, Columbus leaders did not present any plan for a downtown stadium.[43] On the issue, the Mayor had stated it was "obvious that Don Garber nor PSV (Precourt Sports Ventures) had any commitment for the team to stay in Columbus".[44]

In the annual state of the league conference, commissioner Garber addressed more on the potential move. He had stated the difficulties there has been present with the market over the years. Discussing in 2008, when the league began its initiative to end having ownership groups owning multiple franchises in the league, there was no success in finding a local ownership group in the market of Columbus, with an interested group wanting to purchase the team but with a very low value. It was then when the league's executives hired a different company banker and expanded its search regionally where Anthony Precourt was involved. Garber stated that had Precourt not acquired the club, there was a possibility that Columbus would have ceased operations and ultimately folded. As to why the issues were not stated publicly, Don Garber stated that the league is a "private business" and what's been happening has been seen in other major sport leagues in the country.[45]

On March 5, 2018, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and the City of Columbus filed a lawsuit against Precourt, citing a 1996 state law that prevents sports teams that benefited from public facilities or financial assistance from relocating to another city without a six-month notice and attempting to sell the team to a local ownership group.[46] The bill was originally passed after the controversial relocation of the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore.[47]

Haslam era and second MLS Cup (2018–present)

On October 12, 2018, the owner of the Cleveland Browns, Jimmy Haslam, released a statement stating he was in the process of buying the Crew, along with other local groups.[48] MLS later released a statement stating their willingness to keep the Crew in Columbus, and that Precourt will get the rights to start a team in Austin if the deal goes through.[49] On January 1, 2019, control of the Crew franchise was officially transferred to the Haslam family and longtime team physician Dr. Pete Edwards, who took full ownership of the club after reaching a deal with Precourt Sports Ventures LLC.[50] The new ownership group also quickly announced that they would be building a new stadium for the Crew in the Arena District of downtown Columbus.

The team then hired Tim Bezbatchenko as President from Toronto FC and Caleb Porter, previously with the Portland Timbers, as their new coach for the 2019 season.[51] The 2019 season was a forgettable one as the Crew dealt with injuries throughout the season.

Before the start of the 2020 MLS season, the Crew made two major signings, bringing in new Argentinian designated player Lucas Zelarayán and midfielder Darlington Nagbe. The team started out the season well, winning their group in the MLS is Back Tournament before going out in the round of 16 and finishing in third place in the Eastern conference and fourth place overall. After making a run in the playoffs, the Crew won their second MLS Cup just two years into the Haslam era, defeating the Seattle Sounders 3-0 at Mapfre Stadium on December 12, 2020 in MLS Cup 2020.[52]

Colors and badge
The club's first logo (1996–2014)

The official colors of Columbus Crew SC are black and gold.[53] Columbus's usual primary jersey is predominately bright yellow with black trim, and has been nicknamed the "banana kit" or "canary kit" by fans.

The alternate uniform has historically been black. In the latter part of the 2000s, The Crew began shifting more towards a white uniform with yellow and black trim or stripes. Even so, the away uniforms are seldom worn by The Crew due to the strong favor shown to the traditional home uniform; and also due to the fact that the historically black jerseys compound the summer heat in the United States climate. For the 2015 season, Crew SC has returned to a black jersey for its alternate uniform.

Prior to the initial MLS season a citywide public contest was created to decide the name for the team, the very first entry was a hit, and the Columbus Crew was born.

The club badge from 1996 to 2014 was unique amongst MLS teams in that it featured people, containing three silhouetted males wearing construction hats beneath a stylized "Crew" wordmark. The logo was intended to represent a crew of hard working people, much like the hard-working, blue collar image the city of Columbus cultivates.

Citing a disconnect between what the crest stood for and the 21st-century identity of the city of Columbus, owner Anthony Precourt initiated a rebrand upon assuming ownership in 2013. Precourt said that Columbus was no longer a true blue collar town, and that the industrial/manufacturing motif was no longer representative. In fact, Columbus had grown into a 21st-century city and become much more "dynamic and diverse".[54]

On October 8, 2014, the Crew unveiled a new badge. The new circular-shaped badge features the club's classic black and gold colors, a minimized original crest with "96" overlaid on top, and the black and gold checkerboard pattern predominantly seen on flags waving in the Nordecke.[1][55] A great deal of symbolism was packed into the new badge. The horizontal stripes are representative of the ten original MLS franchises, and the shield is an homage to the club's original badge with the 96 representing 1996 – the club's first year in competition. The inset "O" in the badge mimics the same shape found in Ohio state flag, a nod to Columbus's role as the state's capital city. Finally, as a significant point of pride for the city of Columbus, "Columbus" was added to the new badge, along with "SC" to further define the brand more accurately as a soccer club.

The club's nickname, the Crew, also evolved from its original meaning as a hard-working construction crew to a new, more relevant one as "a tight-knit group of people who come together to share a passion for our club and the sport of soccer". The nickname, Crew, is now meant to symbolize a unique brand of family and friendship between the club, the fans and the communities who unite to embrace and celebrate the authenticity and heritage of the sport.

With the rebrand, the club also identified three brand pillars: original, energetic, and authentically Columbus, in an effort to celebrate its history as a team of firsts – first club in Major League Soccer, first soccer-specific stadium, first major professional championship for Columbus – its youthful, passionate energy, as well as Columbus's young, progressive culture.[55]

Uniform history
1996–97
1998
1999–01
2002–03
2005–06
2006–07
2008–09
2010–11
2012–13
2014
2015–16
2017–18
2019–

Stadium
Mapfre Stadium is MLS' first soccer-specific stadium.
Main article: Mapfre Stadium

On May 15, 1999, the Crew opened Columbus Crew Stadium, the first soccer-specific stadium in Major League Soccer, as the Crew beat the New England Revolution 2–0 before a sold-out crowd of 24,741. It has been the model stadium for the rest of the league, and one of the stadiums used by the United States national team in World Cup qualifying. In 2015, the naming rights for the stadium were purchased by Madrid-based insurance company Mapfre.

Previously, the Columbus Crew played their home games at the 102,000-capacity Ohio Stadium, home of the Ohio State Buckeyes college football team. They ended with a 33–20 record while playing there.

The team has also played U.S. Open Cup games at two other stadiums: two games in 2005 and 2016 at the Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, also owned by the Ohio State University and home of the OSU soccer teams; and one in 2014 at the FirstEnergy Stadium–Cub Cadet Field on the campus of the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio.

As part of the new ownership proposal for the Crew unveiled in 2018, the club announced plans to build a new stadium in the Arena District of Downtown Columbus. The new stadium would cost $230 million and be located at the center of the Confluence Village neighborhood, a mixed-use development with residential and commercial buildings. It would seat 20,000 spectators and include 30 suites and 1,900 club seats.[56] In 2020, a new authority will own Mapfre and its adjacent city sports park, with the team continuing to control Mapfre in terms of its use as a practice facility. The new stadium had its groundbreaking ceremony in 2019 and will be completed in mid-2021 when the team will move into its new home.[57]

Revenue and profitability

Having lost money in 2011, in 2012 the Crew identified three financial goals with the aim of achieving financial stability.[58] First, the team wanted a different jersey sponsor, which it achieved when they reached a deal with Barbasol. Second, the team wanted to sell naming rights to Columbus Crew Stadium, hoping for $15 million over 10 years. Third, the Crew had announced in September 2011 that it aimed to increase season-ticket sales from its current levels (later revealed to be 4,000) to 10,000.[58][59] By November 2012, Crew season tickets were at 6,000,[59] and by August 2013, the Crew had surpassed 7,000 season ticket holders.[60]

Under Precourt Sports Ventures, Anthony Precourt, and Andy Loughnane, Crew SC's goals have shifted from exclusively focusing on season ticket sales to selling out MAPFRE Stadium. In 2014, the club set all-time stadium attendance records for highest overall attendance and most sellouts in one season. Loughnane confirmed that the club was trending to increase its season ticket membership by 1,000 members per year and also stated his intent for the club to assimilate into the corporate community and fan culture, adding that he believes this transformation is happening rapidly.[61] On March 3, 2015, Crew SC announced that they had agreed to a multimillion-dollar stadium naming rights partnership with MAPFRE Insurance, a first for the stadium.[62] In 2015, Crew SC and EAS Sports Nutrition agreed to a naming rights deal for its training facilities. Merchandise sales grew double digits since the previous year, as did food and beverage sales. It was also announced that the club gained over 1,000 new season ticket members from the previous year.[63]

Sponsorship

Mars' Snickers chocolate bar was Crew SC's first uniform sponsor, on a five-year, $6 million deal that lasted from 1996 to 2000.[64] From 2002 to 2004 Pepsi was the team's shirt sponsor.[65] Glidden was the Crew's shirt sponsor from 2008 to 2010, a deal worth $1 million per year.[66] In early 2012, they signed a five-year deal with Barbasol, which is based in Dublin, Ohio, for an undisclosed fee.[66]

In late February 2017, Columbus Crew SC signed a three-year deal with Acura, making the company the Official Jersey Partner and the Official Automotive Partner of the team. The deal was also the largest annual commercial transaction in club history.[67]

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
1996–2000 Adidas Snickers
2002–2004 Pepsi
2008–2010 Glidden
2012–2016 Barbasol
2017–2019 Acura
2020 Nationwide Children's Hospital
2021– Nationwide Insurance

There was no jersey sponsor in 2001, 2005–2007 and 2011.

Club culture

Supporters and Nordecke
The Nordecke after Columbus scored a goal against the Chicago Fire in 2013

Before the 2008 season, the Columbus Crew front office demolished the north stands where the most ardent of Crew supporters stood, in order to build a stage that would provide additional revenue by facilitating concerts and other events. Prior to this, the team's three supporters' groups (Crew Supporters Union, Hudson Street Hooligans, and La Turbina Amarilla) sat apart because of differences between the groups ranging from age to ethnicity. The building of the stage forced the groups to come together into the north corner of the stadium, forming one large block of vocal supporters. The three groups formed the Nordecke ( /nɔːrdˈɛkə/), which is German for "north corner", celebrating the city's German heritage. In 2006 a large contingency of fans from the Nordecke began traveling together to support the Crew during their away campaigns. In late 2009/early 2010 the term "NorOnTour" grew popular on social networking, to describe the frequent fan traveling support.[68]

Mascot

Columbus Crew's first mascot was "Crew Cat", who was the franchise's mascot for almost 20 years.[69] Columbus's official mascot is "S.C", the son of "Crew Cat" that was introduced for the 2015 MLS season.[70] As new ownership was employed in the 2019 season, the older “Crew Cat” returned and attends games alongside S.C.

Rivalries

The Crew has a rivalry with the Chicago Fire.[71] Columbus is roughly a six-hour drive away from Chicago. Due to the relative close proximity of the two cities, it is not uncommon for supporters of both teams to make the trip to support their club in matches between the two. In the 2008 season, Columbus defeated Chicago in the Eastern Conference Championship match. In 1998, Chicago defeated Columbus for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

The Crew also plays for two rivalry cups during the regular season. One of the series is with Toronto FC for the Trillium Cup, due to the close proximity of the cities.[71] The Crew also contests FC Dallas for the Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup. This trophy was created due to Lamar Hunt being the owner of both teams until his death.

FC Cincinnati supporters claim the Crew as a rival, although some Columbus supporters do not consider the former USL team a rival.[72] The two sides met in a 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match in front of 30,000 spectators, the largest non-final crowd for an Open Cup fixture.[73][74] This derby is known as the Hell Is Real Derby, based on a Christian billboard along I-71 between Columbus and Cincinnati.[75][76]

Broadcasting

In 2016, Crew SC games aired on TWC Sports Channel (now Spectrum Sports), simulcast on Sinclair Broadcast Group-operated stations in Columbus. The majority of games aired on The CW affiliate WWHO, and selected games also aired on WSYX, WTTE, and WSYX's MyNetworkTV subchannel.[77][78] Dwight Burgess and Neil Sika served as co-hosts.[79]

In 2019, the team reached a deal with Fox Sports Ohio, placing all matches on either it or secondary channel SportsTime Ohio.[80]

On March 1, 2019 the team announced English-language radio broadcasts will be on 97.1 WBNS-FM with Chris Doran as the dedicated audio broadcaster. Spanish radio broadcast was also announced for ColumbusCrewSC.com and Juan Valladares as the broadcaster [81]

On February 21, 2020 the team announced Jordan Angeli will replace Dwight Burgess and will be the first woman broadcaster in the club's history.[82]

Players and staff
For a more comprehensive list, see All-time Columbus Crew SC roster.

Current roster
As of January 28, 2021[83]
No. Position Player Nation
1 Goalkeeper Eloy Room  Curaçao
3 Defender Josh Williams  United States
4 Defender Jonathan Mensah  Ghana
5 Defender Vito Wormgoor  Netherlands
6 Midfielder Darlington Nagbe  United States
7 Midfielder Pedro Santos (DP)  Portugal
8 Midfielder Artur  Brazil
10 Midfielder Lucas Zelarayán (DP)  Argentina
11 Forward Gyasi Zardes (DP; HG)  United States
12 Midfielder Luis Díaz  Costa Rica
14 Defender Waylon Francis  Costa Rica
18 Midfielder Sebastian Berhalter (HG)  United States
19 Defender Milton Valenzuela  Argentina
21 Midfielder Aidan Morris (HG)  United States
22 Midfielder Derrick Etienne (HG)  Haiti
23 Defender Grant Lillard (HG)  United States
25 Defender Harrison Afful  Ghana
27 Forward Miguel Berry  Spain
28 Goalkeeper Matt Lampson (HG)  United States
30 Defender Aboubacar Keita (HG)  United States
99 Forward Bradley Wright-Phillips  England
— Goalkeeper Evan Bush  United States
— Goalkeeper Eric Dick  United States
— Midfielder Perry Kitchen  United States
— Forward Kevin Molino  Trinidad and Tobago
— Midfielder Isaiah Parente (HG)  United States

Team management
Front office
Investor-operators Dee and Jimmy Haslam
JW and Whitney Johnson
Dr. Pete Edwards
President Tim Bezbatchenko
Coaching staff
Head coach Caleb Porter
Assistant coaches Ben Cross
Ezra Hendrickson
Pablo Moreira
Technical director Pat Onstad
Crew SC Academy
Crew 2 general manager Corey Wray
Academy general manager Kelvin Jones
Director of individual development Sergio Lozano
Academy head coaches Andreas Engelmark
Evan Fuhs
Mutanda Kwesele

Last updated: July 3, 2019
Source:

Head coach history
Main article: List of Columbus Crew SC head coaches

Crew SC have had eight different head coaches since joining the league in 1996. Timo Liekoski, the only Finnish head coach in MLS history, was the first head coach in 1996, but started 6–16 and was fired midseason to be replaced by Tom Fitzgerald.[84] Sigi Schmid managed the team for three seasons (2006–08). Robert Warzycha was the head coach twice, the first time on an interim basis prior to Schmid's arrival and then immediately after Schmid left until September 2, 2013, when he was fired and Brian Bliss became the interim coach. On November 16, 2013 it was announced that Gregg Berhalter would become the head coach as well as the first sporting director in club history.[85] After Berhalter left to take over as coach of the United States men's national soccer team, Columbus hired Caleb Porter, who had previously been the head coach of the Portland Timbers in MLS and the Akron Zips men's soccer team in the NCAA.

Fitzgerald and Warzycha are tied for the all-time leader in regular season wins (70).[86]

Name Nationality Tenure
Timo Liekoski  Finland December 5, 1995 – August 2, 1996
Tom Fitzgerald  United States August 2, 1996 – May 17, 2001
Greg Andrulis  United States May 17, 2001 – July 16, 2005
Robert Warzycha (interim)  Poland July 16, 2005 – October 20, 2005
Sigi Schmid  Germany October 20, 2005 – December 16, 2008
Robert Warzycha  Poland December 23, 2008 – September 2, 2013
Brian Bliss (interim)  United States September 2, 2013 – November 6, 2013
Gregg Berhalter  United States November 6, 2013 – December 2, 2018
Caleb Porter  United States January 4, 2019 – present

General manager and sporting director history
Name Nationality Tenure
Jamey Rootes  United States 1995–2000
Jim Smith  United States 2000–2004
Mark McCullers  United States 2004–2013
Gregg Berhalter  United States 2013–2018
Pat Onstad  Canada 2018–present

Honors
National[87]
Competitions Titles Seasons Runner-up
MLS Cup 2 2008, 2020 2015
Supporters' Shield 3 2004, 2008, 2009
U.S. Open Cup 1 2002 1998, 2010
Individual Club Awards

Record

Year-by-year
Main article: List of Columbus Crew SC seasons

This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Crew. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Columbus Crew SC seasons.

Season League Position Playoffs USOC Continental / Other Average
attendance		 Top goalscorer(s)
Div League Pld W L D GF GA GD Pts PPG Conf. Overall Name(s) Goals
2016 1 MLS 34 8 14 12 50 58 −8 36 1.06 9th 18th DNQ Ro16 DNQ 17,125 Ola Kamara 16
2017 MLS 34 16 12 6 53 49 +4 54 1.59 5th 5th SF R4 15,439 Ola Kamara 19
2018 MLS 34 14 11 9 43 45 −2 51 1.50 5th 10th QF R4 12,447 Gyasi Zardes 20
2019 MLS 34 10 16 8 39 47 −8 38 1.12 10th 20th DNQ Ro16 14,856 Gyasi Zardes 13
2020 MLS 23 12 6 5 36 21 +15 41 1.78 3rd 4th W NH MLS is Back Tournament Ro16 3,761 Gyasi Zardes 15

^ 1. Avg. attendance include statistics from league matches only.
^ 2. Top goalscorer(s) includes all goals scored in League, MLS Cup Playoffs, U.S. Open Cup, MLS is Back Tournament, CONCACAF Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, and other competitive continental matches.

International tournaments
Columbus Crew SC in International Tournaments
Season Competition Round Country Club Home Away Aggregate
2001 CONCACAF Giants Cup Quarter-finals Saprissa 1–1 0–2 1–3
2003 CONCACAF Champions' Cup First round Árabe Unido 3–0 1–2 4–2
Quarter-finals Morelia 2–0 0–6 2–6
2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League Group C Puerto Rico Islanders 2–0 1–1 2nd
Cruz Azul 0–2 0–5
Saprissa 1–1 1–0
Quarter-finals Toluca 2–2 2–3 4–5
2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League Group B Municipal 1–0 1–2 2nd
Santos Laguna 1–0 0–1
Joe Public 3–0 4–1
Quarter-finals Real Salt Lake 0–0 1–4 1–4
2021 CONCACAF Champions League Round of 16 TBD

Columbus holds a 13–6–3 all-time record in international friendlies.

Player records
Main article: List of Columbus Crew SC records and statistics

Appearances
As of September 6, 2020[88]
# Name Years Signed from MLS Play­offs Open Cup Cont­inental Total
1 Chad Marshall2004–2013Stanford Cardinal2531185277
2 Mike Clark1996–2003Richmond Kickers22122184265
3 Jeff Cunningham1998–2004
2011		South Florida Bulls
FC Dallas		20317176243
4 Eddie Gaven2006–2013MetroStars20991013241
5 Justin Meram2011–2017
2018–2019		Michigan Wolverines
Orlando City		20615112234
6 Federico Higuaín2012–2019Colón1931430210
7 Brian Maisonneuve1996–2004Indiana Hoosiers17217136208
8 Wil Trapp2013–2020Akron Zips1851550205
9 Brian McBride1996–2003VfL Wolfsburg16122133199
10 Robert Warzycha1996–2002Honvéd1601782187

Bold denotes players still playing for the club.

Goals
As of November 29, 2020[88]
# Name Years Signed from MLS Playoffs Open Cup Continental Total
1 Brian McBride1996–2003VfL Wolfsburg6298079
2 Jeff Cunningham1998–2004
2011		South Florida Bulls
FC Dallas		6436174
3 Federico Higuaín2012–2019Colón5540059
4 Stern John1998–1999New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers4483055
5 Edson Buddle2001–2005Long Island Rough Riders4224452
6 Gyasi Zardes2018–presentLA Galaxy444†0048
7 Justin Meram2011–2017
2018–2019		Michigan Wolverines
Orlando City		3832043
8 Eddie Gaven2006–2013MetroStars3522140
9 Guillermo Barros Schelotto2007–2010Boca Juniors3321238
10 Kei Kamara2006–2007
2015–2016		Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros
Middlesbrough		3240036

Bold denotes players still playing for the club.

† 3 goals in MLS Cup Playoffs and 1 goal in the MLS is Back Tournament knockout round.

Assists
As of October 6, 2019[88]
# Name Years Signed from MLS Playoffs Open Cup Continental Total
1 Robert Warzycha1996–2002Honvéd6154171
2 Federico Higuaín2012–2019Colón6351069
3 Jeff Cunningham1998–2004
2011		South Florida Bulls
FC Dallas		4457056
4 Brian McBride1996–2003VfL Wolfsburg4531251
5 Guillermo Barros Schelotto2007–2010Boca Juniors4170048
6 Brian Maisonneuve1996–2004Indiana Hoosiers3731041
7 Justin Meram2011–2017
2018–2019		Michigan Wolverines
Orlando City		3321036
8 Brian West1998–2003Virginia Cavaliers2924035
9 Ethan Finlay2012–2017Creighton Bluejays3001031
10 Eddie Gaven2006–2013MetroStars2513130

Bold denotes players still playing for the club.

Shutouts
As of September 19, 2020[88]
# Name Years Signed from MLS Playoffs Open Cup Continental Total
1 William Hesmer2007–2012Kansas City Wizards4110345
2 Jon Busch2002–2006Hershey Wildcats2512129
3 Zack Steffen2016–2019SC Freiburg2330026
4 Steve Clark2014–2016Hønefoss BK2210023
Andy Gruenebaum2006–2013Kentucky Wildcats1802323
6 Mark Dougherty1998–2001Tampa Bay Mutiny1022014
7 Brad Friedel1996–1997Galatasaray1110012
8 Tom Presthus2000–2003D.C. United900110
9 Eloy Room2019–presentPSV Eindhoven81009
10 Matt Lampson2012–2015
2019–present		Ohio State Buckeyes
LA Galaxy		50005
Juergen Sommer1998–1999Queens Park Rangers40105
Jonny Walker2005–2006MetroStars50005

Bold denotes players still playing for the club.

Captains
Name Years
Robin Fraser2004–2006
Frankie Hejduk2006–2010
Chad Marshall2011–2012
Federico Higuaín[89]2013
Michael Parkhurst[89]2014–2016
Wil Trapp[89]2017–2019
Jonathan Mensah[89]2020–present

Average attendance

Sources:[90][91]

SeasonRegular seasonPlayoffs
199618,95020,807
199715,04311,304
199812,27512,094
199917,69610,983
200015,451missed playoffs
200117,55120,883
200217,42911,624
200316,250missed playoffs
200416,87215,224
200512,916missed playoffs
200613,294missed playoffs
200715,230missed playoffs
200814,62217,613
200914,17510,109
201014,64210,322
201112,185no home games in playoffs
201214,397missed playoffs
201316,080missed playoffs
201416,8819,040
201516,98520,797
201617,125missed playoffs
201715,43917,853
201812,44712,892
201914,856missed playoffs
All-time 15,366 14,396
  • All-time highest home attendance: 31,550 on September 15, 1996 at Ohio Stadium.

References
  1. Borg, Simon. "Columbus Crew unveil new logo, brand identity with nods to team's heritage, city, supporters". Major League Soccer. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  2. MLSsoccer staff (January 29, 2020). "Columbus Crew SC respond to a report of a potential club rebrand". MLSSoccer.com. MLS Digital. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  3. "Contemporary Services Corporation Partners with MAPFRE Stadium". Contemporary Services Corporation. April 28, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  4. "History". ColumbusCrewSC.com. MLS Digital. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  5. "Crew to set attendance record with Sunday's match". Columbus Crew. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  6. Zeigler, Mark (June 16, 1994). "New league has old woes: Not enough teams; too many seats; not enough money". U-T San Diego.
  7. Sirk, Steve (September 9, 2015). "Sirk's Note: Columbus awarded first MLS club". Columbus Crew SC. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
  8. "Sports People: Soccer; Liekoski to Columbus". New York Timies. December 6, 1995.
  9. "2011 Columbus Crew Media Guide" (PDF). Columbus Crew. pp. 14–20. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 25, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
  10. "Crew opens with shutout over D.C." Dayton Daily News. April 14, 1996.
  11. "Fitzgerald fired as coach of MLS Crew". Chicago Tribune. May 18, 2001.
  12. "2011 Columbus Crew Media Guide" (PDF). Columbus Crew. pp. 89–93. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 25, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
  13. 2000 Media Guide. The Columbus Crew. p. 51.
  14. 1999 Post Season Media Guide. Columbus Crew. p. 6.
  15. "Crew earn first trophy with Open Cup win". U.S.A. Today. October 25, 2002.
  16. "Andrulis, Crew Agree To New Contract". OurSports Central. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
  17. "Crew hires head coach". Columbus Business First. October 20, 2005.
  18. "Lamar Hunt, Chiefs owner and sports legend, dies at 74". Associated Press. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  19. Sirk, Steve (November 20, 2012). "The Origin of 'Massive'". Columbus Crew SC.
  20. "David Beckham Signs Deal with L.A. Galaxy, Rejects Real Madrid Deal". Fox News Channel. Archived from the original on February 4, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  21. "Crew signs Argentine star Barros Schelotto". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  22. "Crew's Schelotto wins MLS MVP Award". USA Today. November 20, 2008.
  23. Bell, Jack (March 17, 2009). "In M.L.S., Designated Players Do Not Guarantee Great Expectations". The New York Times.
  24. "2011 Regular Season Standings". Major League Soccer. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  25. "2011 MLS Cup Playoffs Bracket" (PDF). Major League Soccer. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 15, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  26. "Crew parts ways with Head Coach Robert Warzycha | Columbus Crew". Columbus Crew SC. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
  27. "Precourt Sports Ventures acquires Columbus Crew". Columbus Crew. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  28. "Gregg Berhalter". Columbus Crew. Archived from the original on May 15, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  29. "Giancarlo Gonzalez performing among world's elite at 2014 FIFA World Cup". Columbus Crew. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  30. "Crew SC's Michael Parkhurst wins Major League Soccer's Xbox Individual Fair Play Award". Columbus Crew. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  31. "Crew names Andy Loughnane President of Business Operations". Columbus Crew. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  32. "Columbus Crew unveil new logo, brand identity with nods to team's heritage, city, supporters". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  33. "Soccer | Crew: Kamara's signing will add scoring punch for 2015". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  34. "2015 AT&T MLS All-Star Game Roster". MLS Soccer. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  35. "Crew SC hosts largest sellout crowd since 2008". Columbus Crew. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  36. "Columbus Crew SC to host Portland Timbers in 2015 MLS Cup on December 6". MLS Soccer. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  37. "Portland Timbers win 2015 MLS Cup with 2–1 victory over Columbus Crew". The Oregonian. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  38. "Kamara, Trapp named finalists for Major League Soccer awards". Columbus Crew SC. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  39. "Kamara named MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year presented by Advocare". Columbus Crew SC. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  40. "Statement from Precourt Sports Ventures". October 17, 2017. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  41. "Ohio Gov. John Kasich says Crew SC 'hasn't created the spark' in Columbus".
  42. "Columbus city leaders' meeting with MLS, Precourt leave sides frustrated". November 15, 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  43. "Crew SC ownership statement on meeting with Columbus mayor, MLS". November 15, 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  44. "MLS to Austin: NYC meeting fails to bring Crew, Columbus together". Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  45. Straus, Brian (December 8, 2017). "Garber clarifies MLS's position on Columbus relocation". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  46. Schladen, Marty (March 5, 2018). "Ohio, Columbus suing to keep Crew SC from moving to Austin". Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  47. Siegel, Jim (December 6, 2017). "Lawmaker wants to use law passed after Browns move to block Crew from leaving". Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  48. "Statement from Dee and Jimmy Haslam on interest in Columbus Crew". ClevelandBrowns.com (Press release). NFL Enterprises, LLC. October 12, 2018. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
  49. MLSsoccer staff (October 12, 2018). "Cleveland Browns owners emerge as potential buyers of Columbus Crew SC". MLSSoccer.com. MLS Digital. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
  50. Patrick Guldan and Pat Murphy (December 28, 2018). "Crew SC officially sold to Edwards, Haslam". MassiveReport.com. SB Nation. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  51. "Crew SC officially announce Porter, Bezbatchenko hirings".
  52. Alanne Orjoux and Kevin Dotson (December 13, 2020). "Columbus Crew beats Seattle Sounders to win a second MLS championship". cnn.com. Cable News Network. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  53. MLSsoccer staff (January 29, 2020). "Columbus Crew SC respond to a report of a potential club rebrand". MLSSoccer.com. MLS Digital. Retrieved March 2, 2020. What has never changed in their 25-year span is Crew SC's official colors: black and gold.
  54. Precourt, Anthony. "Owner-Operator and Chairman, Columbus Crew". Retrieved October 26, 2014.
  55. "New Crew". Columbus Crew SC. October 9, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
  56. Bush, Bill (December 6, 2018). "New Crew SC stadium would anchor 'Confluence Village' west of Arena District". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
  57. Bush, Bill. "Public funding for new Crew stadium now up to $140 million, and land not yet acquired". The Columbus Dispatch.
  58. "The Columbus Dispatch, Crew catching up financially to rest of MLS". September 13, 2012.
  59. Sports Business Journal, Crew makes strides off the field but remains short of season-ticket sales goal, November 19, 2012, http://m.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2012/11/19/Franchises/Crew.aspx
  60. Columbus Business First, Columbus Crew getting season-ticket boost from U.S.-Mexico packages, August 9, 2013, http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2013/08/columbus-crew-getting-season-ticket.html
  61. Adam Jardy. "Soccer: Financial stability is a priority for Crew". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  62. "Soccer | Crew's home has new name: Mapfre Stadium". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
  63. "MLS Cup conference finals: A look at four teams' business off the pitch". sportsbusinessdaily.com. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  64. "CREW LANDS ON MARS: SNICKERS NAMED OFFICIAL BAR OF MLS". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
  65. Erickson, Andrew. "Crew SC: In team's biggest deal, Acura on board as jersey sponsor". Retrieved September 13, 2017.
  66. Sports Business Daily, MLS Crew Ink Five-Year Jersey Sponsorship Deal With Barbasol Brand, February 16, 2012, http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2012/02/16/Marketing-and-Sponsorship/Crew.aspx
  67. "Crew SC partners with Acura in historic sponsorship agreement | Columbus Crew SC".
  68. Steve Sirk. "Nordecke on tour". Columbus Crew SC.
  69. "Crew Cat, mascot of the Columbus Crew". The Columbus Dispatch.
  70. "S.C., mascot of the Columbus Crew". The Columbus Dispatch.
  71. SB Nation, Chicago Fire vs. Columbus Crew – MLS #12 – Three Questions, May 25, 2012, http://www.hottimeinoldtown.com/2012/5/25/3043711/chicago-fire-vs-columbus-crew-mls-12-three-questions-literally
  72. Murphy, Pat (June 13, 2017). "Columbus Crew SC see no rivalry in Open Cup match with FC Cincinnati". Massive Report. SB Nation. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  73. King, Andrew (June 14, 2017). "FC Cincinnati eclipse 'wildest dreams' in raucous Open Cup win over Crew SC". Major League Soccer. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  74. Stejskal, Sam (June 14, 2017). "FC Cincinnati sell over 25,000 tickets for Wednesday's match vs. Crew SC". Major League Soccer. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  75. Hatch, Charlie (June 15, 2017). "Crew SC: Loss to FC Cincinnati 'frustrating'". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  76. Hatch, Charlie (June 15, 2017). "'Hell Is Real', and so is FC Cincinnati's threat to Columbus". FourFourTwo. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  77. "Crew: Time Warner Cable becomes TV partner". Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  78. "New TV deal makes Crew games more accessible". Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  79. "Crew SC TV Partnership – Columbus Crew SC". Columbus Crew. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  80. "Columbus Crew score Fox Sports local broadcast deal". SportsPro Media. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  81. "Columbus Crew SC announces English Radio Partnership with 97.1 The Fan and the return of Crew SC's Spanish Audio Stream". Columbus Crew. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  82. "Columbus Crew SC announces 2020 television broadcast schedule and talent team". Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  83. "Roster". ColumbusCrewSC.com. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  84. Timmerman, Tom (September 1, 1996). "New Coach, Goalkeeper Spark Crew's Push Toward Playoffs". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  85. "Crew names Gregg Berhalter Head Coach and Sporting Director | Columbus Crew". Columbus Crew SC. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  86. "Columbus Crew part ways with head coach Robert Warzycha; Brian Bliss takes over as interim". MLSsoccer.com. September 2, 2013. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  87. "Trophies by MLS club". MLSSoccer.com. Major League Soccer. January 1, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  88. "All-Time Career Leaders". Columbus Crew SC. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
  89. Benatar, Orri (March 1, 2020). "Jonathan Mensah named Crew's 2020 captain". Massive Report. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  90. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on November 10, 2008. Retrieved November 14, 2008.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  91. "All-Time Attendance". Columbus Crew. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.