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Earlier this afternoon, Sports Illustrated's very excellent soccer writer Brian Straus tweeted some outtakes from his equally excellent article chronicling D.C. United's quest for a stadium from Managing General Partner Jason Levien. So scroll down and consume!
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Talked w/ DCU's Jason Levien for that SI feature. Will post 3 outtakes. First, on big decision to retain Olsen/Kasper <a href="http://t.co/7w0qJOXcyI">pic.twitter.com/7w0qJOXcyI</a></p>— Brian Straus (@BrianStraus) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianStraus/status/544945171398656001">December 16, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Here's Jason Levien on DC United's ownership structure: <a href="http://t.co/6ZWjif22zA">pic.twitter.com/6ZWjif22zA</a></p>— Brian Straus (@BrianStraus) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianStraus/status/544945381625565185">December 16, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>And finally, Jason Levien on whether DC United will consider a logo/brand refresh heading into new stadium: <a href="http://t.co/xNwUl4duRP">pic.twitter.com/xNwUl4duRP</a></p>— Brian Straus (@BrianStraus) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianStraus/status/544945567223521281">December 16, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Some thoughts: First, read that first tweet again. Hearing from someone else that former club President Kevin Payne's departure in late November 2012, leaving the team having to scramble to put together ideas for SuperDraft options and scouting ideas should be no surprise. In case you find that it is, I will repeat: having Kevin Payne leave, a guy who as Levien intimates was pulling most of the strings with personnel choices and decisions, a guy who committed money and/or term to many assets who folks cite for the 2013 on-field dumpster fire, should be no surprise. If you want to mock how D.C. has currently been looking at international talent, it is because Dave Kasper is aware of the financial reality and trying to find outliers however he can. This is what happens when you as a team are losing $7-10 million a year. This is NOT to wholly praise Dave Kasper mind you, as he'll get the Season Review treatment in the coming days. This IS to say that interviewing players available on free transfers in the hope of them having an impact on the roster is the current reality, has been since Payne left, and presumably will be until facades are visible at Buzzard Point.
Second, on the topic of enhancing the brand. For those out of towners, the team has conducted at least one focus group on possible brand enhancement (our own blazindw can shed some more light on them, if he hasn't already), and I understand the possible trepidation towards tweaks or mods of the current logo & badge. However, the fact of the matter is that the current D.C. logo has been the same logo since the days of Mike Slivinski. Ask any one of the San Jose Earthquakes, Sporting Kansas City, Colorado Rapids or Los Angeles Galaxy how they're doing financially. If you are not an expansion team, then it likely is going to happen. Decisions like this are done in part to generate buzz and/or perhaps more preferably, new revenue for moving into new venues. It is one of many steps.
To his credit, Jason Levien does realize the history and tradition associated with the team, mentioning it three times in a span of five sentences. And Levien should be praised to the hills for doing something in 29 months others could possibly never have done in 29 years. I'm willing to see where this starts to head before making a call to Zachariah Rigby.