Haslam family agrees to operate Columbus Crew, keep franchise in Ohio

Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Major League Soccer announced on Friday that an agreement is in place to transfer ownership of the Columbus Crew to a group headed by Cleveland Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam.

The Haslams agreed to take control of the Crew and guaranteed that the franchise will remain in the state of Ohio.

Since October, the Haslam family had been collaborating with a group led by former team doctor Peter Edwards to keep the team from relocating. The Crew were likely headed to Austin, Texas, an expected location for an expansion team, prior to the Haslams becoming involved.

The Crew, one of the original MLS franchises, are expected to be controlled by the Haslams and the Columbus-based Edwards family starting in January 2019.

"After several months of discussions, we are extremely pleased to have reached an agreement in principle with the Haslam and Edwards families for them to assume an ownership position in Major League Soccer and operate Columbus Crew SC starting in January, 2019," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in a statement.

"While we work to finalize the deal promptly, we want to state publicly the tremendous collaboration and community support for Crew SC, which has set the stage for a powerful plan that includes a world-class soccer stadium -- a critical step that will help ensure the club's success on and off the field," Garber continued in the statement.

Precourt Sports Ventures held ownership of Columbus since acquiring them in July 2013 from the Hunt family, who held the rights of the team since its inception in 1996.

"Throughout our conversations, it's been overwhelmingly clear that Crew SC belongs in Columbus, and we are thrilled to have reached an agreement in principle to assume an ownership position in Major League Soccer and to operate Columbus Crew SC," the Haslams and Edwards families said in a joint statement. "As the stewards of Crew SC, we will always be focused on building a championship caliber team that makes the city proud, creating dynamic and memorable fan experiences and deeply engaging the community to make a positive impact."