Link: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/07/nwsl-columbus-expansion-public-funding-park-dispute-fans

A $205m expansion team is a sign of the league’s rapid growth, but conflicts over funding and facilities show the tensions of public-private partnerships in sports

The NWSL is far too gay for us to abide this kinda behavior:

The Crew front office does have some community programs, but the Nordecke hasn’t always had success in convincing the club to support fans and underserved populations in Columbus. Despite the Nordecke’s urging, the Crew does not host a dedicated Pride Night, instead staging a “Soccer For All” theme. In light of that, and the Haslams’ donations to anti-LGBTQ+ politicians including JD Vance and Vivek Ramaswamy, the supporters’ group released a statement in early April that, while in support of the efforts to bring an NWSL franchise to the city, urged the ownership group to recognize and embrace the league’s strong culture of LGBTQ+ support and inclusion.