When Retirement Plans Evaporate

[lemonlyman]

This morning I learned that the Columbus Crew SC will be moving to Austin, TX in 2019. The owner is being coy about the possibility of them staying, but reports coming out show it's pretty much a done deal and the wavering on the part of the owner is to keep tickets from falling off a cliff in the 2018 season. One of the things I was looking forward to the most in retirement was owning season tickets to Crew games. I watch every Saturday on TV as it is, but I'm not retired  and don't live in Columbus yet so I don't get to go to many games. I still want to live in Columbus, but I'll never be a season ticket holder and that major way of expressing and enjoying that fandom will be gone.

Anyone else have a plan for how they were going to spend time in retirement only to have it go up in smoke?

[BlueMR2]

Maybe not as positively as you have...  However, I'd planned on retiring and just fiddling with cars and motorcycles.  With how rapidly we're coming onto the self-driving electric vehicle stage, I may not be able to do it for long...

[chasesfish]

Austin is an incredible city to be an early retiree in - Consider expanding your horizons?  Texas also has no state income tax

[ixtap]

At 33 my SO is experiencing a skeletomuscular issue that may mean we have to significantly change our plan to explore the world via sailboat.

[dude]

Hasn't happened yet, but if the Cheeto-faced Fuck and his soulless enablers take away the SRS benefit that's been promised to me for the past 20 years I've been in this job, then I will likely have to forego early retirement altogether and continue (disgruntled, disillusioned and dissatisfied) in my job until they kick me out at 57.

[matchewed]

So you hung your retirement lifestyle on a single sports team?

[lemonlyman]

So you hung your retirement lifestyle on a single sports team?

I'll live. The thread is about disappointment. It's great you have none.

At 33 my SO is experiencing a skeletomuscular issue that may mean we have to significantly change our plan to explore the world via sailboat.

I'm sorry to hear that.

[mathlete]

Clicked on the thread thinking it would be about pensions or 401(k)s going up in smoke.

Move to Austin. It's a great city.

Of course it is becoming less great, with everyone moving there I here.

[dandarc]

You could get big into OSU sports as an alternative - odds are the university isn't going anywhere, and there are like 50 varsity sports plus who knows how many club teams you could support.

I've had this idea of picking a "University non-revenue sport" to try and get into here.  Might buy women's basketball tickets this year.

[Dicey]

So you hung your retirement lifestyle on a single sports team?

I'll live. The thread is about disappointment. It's great you have none.

In view of your actual post, it seems a legitimate question. No need for such retaliatory snark. Please refer to Rule #1.

[talltexan]

Grew up in Central Texas. If you're truly looking to FIRE there, choose New Braunfels, not Austin. Games in Austin would be one day/week, but you'd have so much better of a time walking and biking around NB, and homes in the city center are much more reasonable.

[honeybbq]

Soccer fan here. Drive to games in Chicago, east coast, whatever. Make mini-vacations out of them. Tour around in your camper van. Whatever. You can still enjoy soccer. There's plenty of it (wherever you are).

[Neo]

Move to Cincinnati. It's way cooler than Columbus and is experiencing a major resurgence (breweries, dining, culture, etc.) but COL is still very very low. We have FC Cincinnati soccer who are being considered for MLS, but even if they don't get picked the soccer culture and fandom here is on par with even the best MLS cities. Columbus is a planned community whereas Cincinnati grew organically and has more history. Easy decision! :)

[soccerluvof4]

Also a Soccer fan hence the name. Have two currently playing in college. I would recommend moving to/near a town that has a big University that has soccer and other things. People have mentioned Austin is a great city and I would recommend that as well AND you have a big University to expand your horizons.

[hudsoncat]

Hey if you decided to take trips to watch soccer, don't forget about the Indy Eleven in Indianapolis! It's a NASL squad, but the games are fun, usually with a great, rowdy crowd, and located right downtown. Indy is a delightful town and an easy drive from Columbus. Not really an answer to your question, but I always like an opportunity to plug the Indy Eleven.

[talltexan]

Former Cincinnati resident here. It's a fine place to live, and I think you'll see a major improvement in climate compared to Columbus (because of the river).