By @SAdyson

Although it is a small sample size, three out of four teams with MLS affiliations finished in the top 3 in USL PRO this season. (Rochester-NE almost doesn’t count, they have no idea what they’re doing.)

Enter Columbus. The epicenter of the upcoming clash between El Tri and the Yanks. Home of one of the original MLS clubs, with some of the strongest supporters in the league.

Would it make sense for the Hounds to affiliate with Columbus? With only 185 miles separating the two cities, it would seem to make logical sense that the two clubs could become bedfellows with an affiliation.

Mmm. Who doesn’t appreciate some mascot-mascot love?

Let’s take a look at the pros–and the cons–of a Columbus Crew-Pittsburgh Riverhounds affiliation.

PROS

• It seems like the Crew were created with the intent of drawing more Pittsburgh support. Look at their colors. Black and Gold. Their logo has three men in hardhats. I mean, their team headquarters is on Black and Gold Boulevard for Pete’s sake. In addition to this, the team already has a ton of support in Pittsburgh among people in SA circles. It would only make sense to build upon this relationship.
• The Crew have one of the most comprehensive youth academies in the MLS. The club supports the same mindset as Kutney–build a solid foundation of young players and develop them internally. With the current addition of Tuffy Shallenberger to the Hounds’ ownership group and the addition of soccer facilities east of Pittsburgh, the pool of young players would span from central Ohio to the middle of PA. It would make logical sense for both clubs to collaborate on a youth academy level.
• Defensive collapses became a calling card of the Hounds throughout the 2013 campaign. While Columbus has not exactly been prolific offensively, several young defensive players on their roster or in their reserves would provide interesting loan options to the Hounds. Evans was forced to play several midfielders as defenders this season, and shoring up the back end would be possible with assistance from Columbus.

CONS

• Columbus already has one of the strongest reserve squads in MLS. Would they even have any incentive to send young, budding players to the Hounds on loan when they could already turn to what has worked for them in the past?
• If this affiliation does happen, what happens if the Hounds begin to expand Highmark Stadium and make a serious bid for the MLS 5+ years down the road? With such close proximity between the two clubs, they would most certainly become natural rivals if the Hounds were ever successful entering MLS. Would the Hounds enter into a relationship with Columbus, only to dismantle it 5-10 years later?
• Since 2010, the Crew have been trending downwards in terms of their post-season success. They lost the semi-conference finals in 2010, lost in the wild card round in 2011, and did not even qualify for the post-season in 2012. Should the Hounds instead look to affiliate with a club that is on the upwards spiral?

In the end, the decision to affiliate will be a difficult one for Kutney, Evans, and company. On the one hand, they will have access to a wider pool of players through loans. On the flip side, they are at the mercy of the club with which they are affiliated in terms of having loaned players recalled (Dom Dwyer, anyone?). Columbus seems a natural fit in terms of proximity. Only time will tell if they decide to dabble in the dark arts of MLS-USLPRO affiliation.