In the "first set of orders related to the lawsuit filed over efforts to potentially move" the Crew to Austin, Judge Jeffrey Brown "instituted a 90-day pause on the proceedings and set up a method for local buyers to privately submit offers to buy the team," according to Andrew Erickson of the COLUMBUS DISPATCH. The lawsuit brought by Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein was based on a '96 state law known as the Art Modell Law, which "requires the owner of a team receiving public assistance to either receive permission before moving or else give six months' notice and locals an opportunity to purchase the team." The 90-day pause, or "'toll' in legal parlance, comes at Klein's request." He had argued that Crew ownership group Precourt Sports Ventures and MLS have been "vague about when the six months' notice was given and when they could claim it was over." Brown will "meet separately with each side in the next 21 days to determine how to identify legitimate attempts to purchase the team locally." Before then, he "wants the sides to determine for themselves how to fashion a nondisclosure agreement and what information needs to be disclosed to determine the value of the team." Meanwhile, Brown agreed to MLS and PSV's request to "put off any discovery -- under which the state could demand information about the team and league -- during the 90-day toll" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 5/9).
STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION: In Austin, Kirk Bohls writes not to "completely rule out" PSV "trying to convince" the Univ. of Texas to let the Crew use Royal-Memorial Stadium as a temporary home until a permanent stadium is built if the franchise moves to Austin. An MLS source said PSV is "still hopeful to get back in front of UT with a grass deal and a rental agreement" to use Royal-Memorial Stadium for two years. Bohls notes UT could "probably command" a one-year deal worth about $5M "if you count installing grass." UT AD Chris Del Conte yesterday said that the school has had "'conversations internally' and with Precourt's group, but said talks never went very far" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 5/9).
