Austin, the capital of Texas and the home to the state’s flagship university, is the largest city in the country without a major-professional sports franchise. That could change within two years if Anthony Precourt, the San Francisco-based owner Columbus Crew SC, decides to head south.

Local sources on Monday told The Dispatch that Precourt is frustrated with the Crew’s declining revenues and poor attendance figures and is strongly considering a franchise move to Austin. Earlier this year, Major League Soccer registered “Austin FC” and “Austin Athletic” as trademarks of the league.

One source close to the team said a deal to host home games at the University of Texas is “all but done” for 2019. The source also said Precourt paid $68 million – above market value – for the team in 2013 because he entertained plans to move it. Another source said plans for a “pristine, waterfront development” in Austin is gaining impetus.

The sources spoke off record because negotiations to keep the team in Columbus are not officially dead. It is standard practice for team owners who might want to move to keep hope alive for the purposes of selling tickets for a lame-duck season. The late Art Modell, for instance, made a public promise to keep his NFL team in Cleveland before he moved it to Baltimore.

A consortium of Columbus businessmen have been trying to work with Precourt to find a local solution. They have scouted locations for a potential Downtown stadium and made offers to purchase all or part of the franchise. Precourt has demurred.

Precourt, under the aegis of Precourt Sports Management, bought the Crew from its original owners, Hunt Sports Group. The purchase agreement contained a promise to keep the team in Columbus for at least 10 years; it also included an escape clause in the case Precourt wanted to move it to Austin.

MLS has plans to grow, but Austin has not been among a dozen cities bidding for an expansion franchise. Cincinnati, on the other hand, has made a hard push. Cincinnati’s case would be stronger if the Crew were no longer in-state.

The Crew is a charter member of MLS, which began play in 1996. It is considered to be the leagues “first franchise.” It opened the country’s first major soccer-specific stadium in 1999 on the Ohio State Fairgrounds.

Although Precourt has paid for some renovations, Mapfre Stadium, as it is now known, is a dinosaur by league standards. Precourt and the league put great import on newer stadiums located in downtown areas.

marace@dispatch.com

@MichaelArace1