Crew II could be coming to Mapfre Stadium soon.
Columbus Crew SC general manager Tim Bezbatchenko confirmed to the Columbus Dispatch the club is looking to field a reserve team in 2021.
Multiple sources told the newspaper that Crew SC co-owner Dr. Pete Edwards in a talk with Ohio State students this week said a second team was likely next year, although it’s unknown whether it would be in the USL Championship or League One.
“It’s an expense that we have to make sure we do in a prudent way over the course of the next few months,” Bezbatchenko told the Dispatch.
The Crew’s new front office and ownership has stated several times the desire to have a second team to bridge any developments between the club academy and the first team.
While Crew SC’s new stadium will be downtown, there are plans to downsize Mapfre Stadium and eliminate the upper bowl, suggesting Crew II could play there. The club’s new training facility adjacent to their current stadium would also reportedly have space for a second team.
