‘It leaves a bad taste in my mouth’: Columbus embraces NWSL while questioning the cost
Summary
Columbus will get a new National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team starting in 2028, joining the city’s strong soccer community. While many fans are excited, some feel concerned about the high costs and fast decisions involved in bringing the team to Columbus.Key Facts
- Columbus was chosen as the location for the NWSL’s 18th team, set to start playing in 2028.
- The team’s ownership group, which also owns Columbus Crew, paid a $205 million expansion fee, the highest in NWSL history.
- The number of NWSL teams will nearly double from 10 in 2021 to 18 by 2028.
- The ownership group includes billionaires Jimmy and Dee Haslam, former club doctor Pete Edwards, and insurance company Nationwide.
- Fans in Columbus have a deep connection to soccer, partly because of efforts to keep the Columbus Crew from moving away in 2017.
- Some fans and residents feel the process to bring the new team happened too quickly and with complex local politics.
- The growth of the NWSL is making team ownership more expensive, raising concerns about the sport turning into a business dominated by billionaires.
- Local leaders, including Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, worked to bring public and private support for the new team.
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