I’m not a soccer guy. In fact, I’m the least soccer-y guy you’ll find. I legitimately feel bad for people in Europe and South America that think soccer is the most exciting sport on the planet.

I don’t use terms like stands, supporters, keepers, boots, pitch, etc…this is America, for Pete’s sake!

However, last Saturday, my wife and I went to our first Columbus Crew game with friends of ours. If you aren’t aware, the owner of the Crew, Anthony Precourt (who’s basically your stereotypical movie villain), is trying to move the Crew to Austin, Texas. He says Mapfre Stadium is no longer a suitable venue for Major League Soccer. Mapfre Stadium was built in 1999 as the first soccer-specific stadium in the United States.

Precourt has said he will not keep the team in Columbus unless the city can provide a new downtown stadium.

There’s a couple of problems with that.

1) There isn’t exactly a ton of attractive room in downtown Columbus to put a new soccer stadium.

2) There’s absolutely nothing wrong with Mapfre Stadium.

To that end, I was blown away by how awesome the stadium and atmosphere were. I had never stepped foot anywhere near Mapfre Stadium until Saturday. I didn’t have high expectations, knowing Precourt wanted to move the team due to stadium issues. What I found was a first-class facility that blew me away. There were ample beer stands, a food truck area, a live DJ, and plenty of room for expansion for “premium” areas that Precourt so covets.

What I was most astounded by, were the fans. I had no idea the Crew were so popular in Columbus. Thousands of people with jerseys, hats, and scarves, braved the 40-degree temperatures to watch their team. There was literally a section of fans that stood, stomped, and cheered for the entire game. Imagine the most ravenous college basketball fan base, and then double it.

But Precourt, and the MLS, want to uproot the team to a city that doesn’t want them. Austin has said, subtly but politely, no thanks. The city of Austin has offered roadblocks disguised as solutions time and time again, to the point where before even officially establishing a franchise in the city, Precourt and the MLS have already alienated a large group of their potential fan base.

So now, Precourt has two cities who don’t want to work with him, and a stated desire to not sell the team. Several Columbus residents, with the means to do so, have offered to purchase the team and keep them in the capital city, but Precourt and the MLS have brushed them aside.

The State of Ohio is actually suing Precourt to keep the team in Columbus. A law enacted in 1996 after the Browns left Cleveland states any sports team that has received public money from moving unless certain conditions are met. Some of those conditions include giving the city or residents near the publicly funded facilites an opportunity to buy the franchise.

I won’t bore you with more details of millions bickering, but I will tell you the Crew deserve to stay in Columbus simply because of their fan base. These are passionate people. Remember when the Browns left Cleveland? Remember the feelings? The agony? The rage? The pain? That’s what these people are going through right now. And they don’t deserve that. Just because I hate their sport doesn’t mean I don’t sympathize with them.

So count me in. I’m a proud #SaveTheCrew member.