Cleveland, OH
Will the Columbus Crew play Lionel Messi in Cleveland? A breakdown of what we know
Darlington Nagbe speaks before MLS All-Star game in Columbus
Columbus Crew midfielder Darlington Nagbe speaks before MLS All-Star game
MLS
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.”
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.”
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.
“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.”
The capacity at Lower.com Field is 20,371, while Browns Stadium can seat 67,431.
bmackay@dispatch.com
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CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A car plowed into a home at East 66th and Chester Avenue during a Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority Police pursuit Friday.
CMHA Police were pursuing a suspect wanted for felonious assault. Police sources told 19 News they arrested three people, including their suspect.
A few hours later, 19 Investigator Kelly Kennedy made a surprising discovery. According to a law enforcement source, the man arrested by CMHA on Friday was 22-year-old Tyler Stafford. The Cleveland man was one of two brothers charged in the IPromise case that made headlines in 2022.
Cleveland Municipal Court records show a warrant was issued for his arrest on March 20.
A 19 investigation revealed that Stafford was the same man charged in the beating death of 17-year-old Ethan Liming in 2022 outside of the IPromise school.
In 2023 Stafford along with his brother were found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter but were found guilty of assault. Tyler Stafford was sentenced to 6 months behind bars.
A gun was recovered, and three people were taken to MetroHealth Hospital in stable condition.
The home has structural damage, according to the Cleveland Fire Department.
Cleveland police said they are handling the crash investigation.
Copyright 2025 WOIO. All rights reserved.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – One person died and one was seriously injured in a severe car crash Friday night that closed entrance and exit ramps from the Eddy Road Bridge that crosses the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway.
Cuyahoga County’s spokesperson, Jennifer Ciaccia, said that at around 9:45 p.m., Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s deputies attempted a traffic stop for a car driving erratically on East 9th Street when the suspect vehicle fled.
Deputies pursued the suspect’s car, then it exited the freeway onto Eddy Road and struck another car just beyond the intersection of the I-90 off ramp and Eddy Road, according to a release.
Ciaccia said the second car then went over a traffic bridge and caught on fire.
According to Cleveland EMS, units responded to I-90 and Eddy Road for a crash with a car on fire and ejection.
Ciaccia confirmed the driver of the suspect car was pronounced dead on the scene. He was trapped in a car that also caught fire.
The female driver of the second car was seriously injured, and EMS transported her to University Hospital.
Lt. Mike Norman said the Cleveland Fire Department responded to the crash for the two separate car fires.
One of the cars on fire was at the beginning of the on-ramp. Lt. Norman said the other car fire was at the base of the wall east of Eddy Road and south of the on-ramp.
Our 19 News crew returned to the scene where a scorched concrete barrier, car parts, and crime scene tape appear all that remain.
Bratenahl Police, Cleveland Police, and Cleveland Fire all responded to the scene.
Ciaccia said the incident is still under investigation by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department Detective Bureau.
The identity of the suspect killed has not been released.
This is a developing story. Check back for more information about this story.
Copyright 2025 WOIO. All rights reserved.
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