The Columbus Crew on Wednesday unveiled an initiative to reinvigorate the community under the rallying cry “Dare to be Massive” before an enthusiastic crowd of more than 1,000 at Columbus Commons.
The downtown lunchtime rally dubbed “Crew at the Commons” featured a formal program highlighted by remarks from MLS Commissioner Don Garber, Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Columbus City Councilmember Zach Klein and Crew President & General Manager Mark McCullers. Crew players, live music and prizes enhanced the interactive event.
“The Crew has built a tradition in Columbus and we have been an innovator and a leader – as a community,” McCullers said. “We have now launched a movement, and our efforts will continue to rally our community in support of our club. We have earned our stripes over 16 action-packed, emotion-filled, memory-building years and we believe our club and our city can, and should, be at the forefront in Major League Soccer.”
The league has grown and matured significantly over the past five years and Columbus has helped blaze the trail for that growth and development. The community and club can boast being the league’s first charter member, with more than 11,000 season ticket deposits; building the league’s first training complex and first soccer-specific stadium; and winning five major trophies.
An important component of the Dare to be Massive movement is “Goal 10K,” which is a campaign to return the club’s season-ticket base to 10,000 seats. Season-ticket plans have been created for every budget – including a discounted pricing window available through Oct. 12 – with payment plans that make being a Crew season-ticket holder affordable and convenient.
Mayor Coleman and Commissioner Garber emphasized the importance of returning the team’s season ticket base to 10,000 strong, and stressed that for Columbus to regain its reputation as a leading soccer market, it must commit to accomplishing Goal 10K.
“Goal 10K is important to the Crew’s financial security, and it’s important to Columbus,” McCullers said. “It will offer further proof to the rest of the country that Columbus is a major league city. I believe this is a community that thrives as an underdog and we rise to the challenge. That’s why we say ‘Dare to be Massive!’”
