Soil Scout Sensor 7

INTERVIEW
Keeping up with
the Crew
The Columbus Crew hold
their own story in the
history of Major League
Soccer. As MLS’ first
franchise, its evolution has
mirrored the league’s, and on and off the
field, it's been a case of keeping up with the
Crew.
Opening in 1999, Historic Crew Stadium
was the United States' first purpose-built
professional soccer arena, signalling the
league's development. Many teams have
followed in building their own soccerspecific
stadium, but the Crew haven’t stood
still.
The possibility of relocation loomed
over the franchise, but in 2019, Dee and
Jimmy Haslam, Whitney and JW Johnson
and long-time team physician Dr. Pete
Edwards received operating rights of the
club and made their intentions known with
investment.
In 2021, the 20,371 capacity Lower.com
Field and the renovation of OhioHealth
Performance Center (OHPC), connected to
Historic Crew Stadium, ushered in a new era
for the two-time MLS Cup winners.
For nine years, Head Groundskeeper at
OHPC, Andrew Northeim, has been part of
the Crew’s journey and seen the transition
to best-in-class facilities. When he joined in
2014 after graduating from The Ohio State
University with a Bachelor’s of Science,
Andrew worked at both facilities and
gained valuable knowledge before taking
his current role in 2018.
The development of OHPC was an
opportunity to gain field construction
experience and, with the positive backing
of the new owners, embrace the best field
technology the industry had to offer.
"When we were initially brought in on the
build and heard that SubAir and hydronic
heating was included, it was a pretty big
thing," Andrew explains. "Knowing that
our ownership was willing to invest in the
Soil Scout is awesome technology
to have once you have it and
know how reliable it is
Andrew Northeim
Words Blair Ferguson | Pictures Drew Horton © Columbus Crew
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