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Will the Columbus Crew play Lionel Messi in Cleveland? A breakdown of what we know

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Will the Columbus Crew play Lionel Messi in Cleveland? A breakdown of what we know


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When Crew season-ticket renewals opened up for the 2025 season on July 5, the fine print stated the team could play home matches outside of Columbus, “including but not limited to a stadium located in Cleveland, Ohio.”

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Many interpreted this to mean that the Crew are planning to play a home match at Cleveland Browns Stadium during the 2025 season. Crew owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam also own the Browns.

The Crew have already come close to playing up the road. Near the end of June, it was reported the club was in talks about moving their CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals home leg to the Northeast Ohio venue if their opponent was Inter Miami, rather than CF Monterrey.

Related Columbus Crew article: Crew playing in Cleveland? Browns making a move? Inside the Haslams’ stadium games | Arace

At the time, Josh Glessing, chief of strategy and development at Haslam Sports Group told television network News 5 that the Crew were looking into playing in Cleveland because this would be an opportunity “to put Lionel Messi, one of the most famous, if not the most famous people in the world – arguably the greatest soccer player in history – on the biggest stage possible.”

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Champions Cup games were excluded from the 2024 season ticket packages. Season ticket holders were guaranteed the option of purchasing them for an additional cost, but it was only an option. It was possible to decline tickets that would have required travel 145 miles away from the Crew’s home venue of Lower.com Field.

More: Crew playing in Cleveland? Browns making a move? Inside the Haslams’ stadium games | Arace

The Crew did not end up playing in Cleveland this year because Monterrey advanced over Miami. But the door is still open for a 2025 regular-season home match.

“The Crew are dedicated to sharing and expanding our club’s and supporters’ passion for soccer,” Crew spokesperson Rob McBurnett said in a statement to The Columbus Dispatch. “And we identified a special opportunity to advance that goal by hosting a potential semifinals match in Cleveland.

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“While we won’t hold a 2024 match in Northeast Ohio, we will continue to explore the possibility in future years, especially given our familiarity with Cleveland Browns Stadium and ability to host substantially more supporters while creating a memorable matchday experience that reflects and benefits our incredible fan base.”

Once season ticket holders were made aware of the new addition to the 2025 terms and conditions, a number took to social media and shared their dismay.

The Crew’s supporter group, The Nordecke, made a statement saying the organization strongly opposes “playing meaningful matches in Cleveland or elsewhere outside of the Columbus Metro Area.”

In May, Dee Haslam expressed a desire for the Crew to play in front of larger crowds. Addressing Lower.com Field she told a forum: “We didn’t build it big enough. We learned that pretty quickly because we have a tremendous fan base.”

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The capacity at Lower.com Field is 20,371, while Browns Stadium can seat 67,431.

bmackay@dispatch.com

@brimackay15

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Cleveland, OH

Looking back on Bills’ last trip to Cleveland

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Looking back on Bills’ last trip to Cleveland


The last time the Buffalo Bills played in Cleveland, they were still raw and hungry, which is way different than the grizzled, yet youth-driven bunch that’ll be heading there for the first time in six years on Sunday.

The Bills were in excellent shape at 6-2 in Week 10 of the 2019 NFL season and rolled into town to face a Browns team that had all the hype before the season, but had lost four straight and were at 2-6.

What happened last time Bills played Browns in Cleveland?

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Baker Mayfield and the Browns drove down the field in six plays for a touchdown on the opening drive, with the rival from Josh Allen’s draft class finding Jarvis Landry for the game’s first points. Austin Seibert missed an extra point, and that turned to be critical late in the game.

Nov 10, 2019; Cleveland, OH, USA; Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) is hit by Bills defensive tackle Star Lotulelei (98) during the first half at FirstEnergy Stadium. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
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TRENDING: Bills must slow down Browns’ record-hunting force on Sunday

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Sandwiched around a run-heavy Bills touchdown drive, capped off by an Allen 10-yard scamper that gave them a 7-6 lead in the second quarter, was a very satisfying sequence for Bills fans.

On two of the Browns’ next three possessions following their opening drive, they had the ball inside the Bills’ 3-yard line for 11 plays. Cleveland had eight plays on the first possession, and even though there were a couple of penalties on the Bills, Buffalo had a goal-line stand.

The Bills stopped the Browns on three straight goal-to-go plays on the second such possession, and Cleveland lined up to go for it on 4th-and-goal. However, a false start penalty prompted them to kick a field goal and make it a 9-7 game.

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Nov 10, 2019; Cleveland, OH, USA; Bills kicker Stephen Hauschka (4) and Browns cornerback Denzel Ward (21) watch as Hauschka misses a field goal during the first half at FirstEnergy Stadium. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Five questions before Josh Allen, Bills face Browns

Buffalo wasn’t as fortunate on the next drive, as Stephen Hauschka shanked a 34-yard field goal wide left with time winding down, leaving the Browns with their lead into halftime.

Out of the locker room, the Bills got an immediate spark. Corey Bojorquez downed a punt at the 7-yard line, then Tremaine Edmunds sacked Mayfield in the end zone for a safety on the next play to tie the game.

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The Browns tacked on a field goal on their next drive to take the lead while the Bills’ offense was stuck in quicksand, with three punts and a turnover on downs on their first four second-half possessions.

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Nov 10, 2019; Cleveland, OH, USA; Bills middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (49) tackles Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) in the end zone for a safety during the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

MORE: James Cook chasing Jonathan Taylor and Bills’ rushing record

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Allen got his act together and led a seven-play, 48-yard drive and ran in a score from a yard out to give Buffalo the lead back with 5:26 left. He finished the day 22-of-41 for 266 yards passing and scored twice on the ground, but was off that day.

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Mayfield responded in kind, finding Rashard Higgins in the end zone to reclaim the lead after a long drive of his own. The Bills had one more shot, but Hauschka whiffed from 53, handing the Bills a 19-16 loss.

The Bills’ and Browns’ dynamics are much more different than they were in 2019, but there can be that lingering reminder of that game for Allen as the AFC playoff race nears its end.

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Nov 10, 2019; Cleveland, OH, USA; Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) shakes hands with Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) after the game between the Cleveland Browns and the Buffalo Bills at FirstEnergy Stadium. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

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Cleveland, OH

Cleveland salt mine works year-round to keep Ohio roads safe

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Cleveland salt mine works year-round to keep Ohio roads safe


CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Road safety across Ohio begins 1,800 feet below Lake Erie at Cleveland’s Cargill salt mine near Whiskey Island.

19 News made the journey under ground to Cleveland’s Cargill salt time.

Superintendent of production Andrew Staker describes the operation as a “mini-city” where about 250 employees produce the salt that clears our roads and sidewalks.

“We provide over half the salt used here in the state of Ohio. Our salt also goes all over the Great Lakes Region even Virginia,” said Staker.

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Thousands of tons of salt pass through this belt, and 500-700 trucks are loaded with salt each day.

Staker said his team works nonstop.

“It’s a big misconception that the mine is only busy during the wintertime,” said Staker. “We prepare in the springtime, so it is full giddy up. We are making salt all year round.”

Just like everyone else, Staker and his time are feeling the effects of winter’s early arrival.

“We take a lot of it snowfall by snowfall, so as demand ramps up, our teams here will put in extra overtime days to be able to meet customer demand,” said Staker.

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Cleveland, OH

Semi-truck rips down power lines in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood for 4th time since July

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Semi-truck rips down power lines in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood for 4th time since July


CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The city of Cleveland is looking into why wires are dangling from West 25th Street in Ohio City.

Sam McNulty, owner of Nano Brew, says trucks are ripping through wires at the intersection of 25th Street and Bridge Avenue.

“4 times that cable has gone down,” McNulty said. “We’re shocked that whoever is in charge of that cable hasn’t figured out a way to elevate it a little bit more.”

In July, Ring doorbell footage caught a semi hitting the wires. You could see the wires falling to the ground.

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Luckily, McNulty said, it’s a communication wire, but that doesn’t make the problem go away.

“This is a very active street tons of pedestrians, bicyclists, families, people are here almost 24 hours a day,” said McNulty.

The most recent incident was Thursday morning. McNulty says a crew wrapped ropes around the fallen wire.

“I am definitely not a line engineer but when I see random rope tied with pretty sketchy looking knots holding the cable up I think that’s probably not Osha approved,” said McNulty.

19 News reached out to the city of Cleveland, which said it is looking into the issue.

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