Nationwide Mutual Insurance get 37% of the Crew

Columbus Crew ⬆ Nationwide Mutual Insurance is deepening its professional soccer roots in Columbus, having agreed to buy a 37% stake in MLS’s Crew at a $900 million valuation, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to Front Office Sports. The deal sees Nationwide buying a 30% stake from Jimmy and Dee Haslam, who also own the NFL’s Browns, and a 7% stake from the Edwards family (Pete Edwards, the Crew’s former team doctor, partnered with the Haslams in 2018 to prevent a move to Austin). Nationwide previously backed the bid that brought an NWSL expansion team to Columbus; that team will join the NWSL as its 18th franchise in 2028.