Author: Matt Bernhardt

I watch, and geek out about, soccer more than I probably should. Usually surrounding the Columbus Crew, but occasionally also the USNT and others. He/him/his
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MLS has not left Columbus behind in attendance

If you follow the debate about the Columbus Crew and its possible relocation to Austin, you’ll soon come across a skeptical viewpoint:

Columbus was a fine market when the league started, but now MLS has grown – and Columbus hasn’t kept pace.

It may be tempting to believe this, especially when the league and team ownership are circulating lists that have Crew SC near the bottom of the attendance rankings. But the data is more nuanced than that – and far more supportive of Columbus.

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Columbus beyond the Crew: 1991 exhibitions

Columbus has a pedigree as a soccer market that extends beyond the Crew or Major League Soccer.  Starting with the Columbus Magic in 1979, the capital city has played host to a number of teams and exhibitions over almost forty years. Taken together, these histories depict a city with a tradition of support for soccer – provided those putting on the games have appropriately prepared. This is part of an irregular series that explores the history of soccer in central Ohio.

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