The IX Sports Podcast is back with another soccer-focused edition hosted by Kathleen Gier.
On Tuesday’s episode, Thomas Costello joined as a guest to discuss the NWSL’s announcement of its newest expansion club that will call Columbus, Ohio, home and begin play in 2028.
“Kind of one of those worst-kept-secret type things, because it felt like (in) April (it) had been floated around a lot,” Costello said of the announcement. “Everyone was talking like, ‘Oh, it’s already happened. We’re just waiting for the final pieces.’
“It’s been an eventful 24 to 36 hours, especially, and then stretching out over the last month, it’s really gotten into the public eye, and I wouldn’t say in all positive ways, either. So it’s been very interesting. It should be an exciting rollout. It should be a really fun rollout for supporters and fans. But I would say it’s been kind of anything but (that) over the last month here in Columbus.”
The team will be owned by Jimmy and Dee Haslam, who also own the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, the MLS’s Columbus Crew and have a partial ownership stake in the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks.
Gier and Costello explored some of the potential positives and negatives of seeing NFL owners getting involved with NWSL ownership.
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“I mean, I’ll take nicer flights. I think everybody in the league would,” Gier said. “Maybe that’s the benefit that we can arrange with some NFL money. Yeah, and, you know, if they want to hop in on that next round of TV negotiations.”
“These are all things that are going to help the players ultimately,” Costello said in response. “So at this point, for a lot of fans, if they’re not outright saying, ‘Okay, I’m not going to follow this team, or I’m not going to follow the league because I don’t like the direction,’ that’s fine. You can make those decisions. … But there are going to be folks who are trying to find silver linings.”
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