From Brad Sims President NYCFC:
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Dear Fans,
It is great to be back. Seeing you all at Yankee Stadium last weekend – despite the snow – once again proved what an incredible fanbase we have, and how important it is for our players to have your support as we begin our campaign as reigning MLS Cup champions.
I am sending this email at a hugely exciting moment for us as a Club. We have reached another Club milestone advancing to our first-ever Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League (SCCL) Semifinal. I was with the team in Guatemala on Tuesday. What an unforgettable match; there is a reason Comunicaciones has not lost a home game in the last three years. Against a backdrop of challenges – altitude, pitch quality, impassioned fans, and our team spending 46 of the last 55 nights on the road and traveling 17,000+ miles since preseason began – our guys were able to find a way to advance. It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t necessarily pretty, but thanks to a great first leg and two away goals, we got the result we needed to progress. We are extremely excited about the way the start of the season has gone given all the challenges the team has endured. This perseverance is what matters.
I wanted to be the first to let you know that later today we will announce that our home SCCL Semifinal match vs. Seattle Sounders will take place on April 13 at Red Bull Arena at 9:00pm EDT. The away leg will take place on April 6 in Seattle at 7:00pm PDT (10:00pm EDT). We know that many of you have come out to support our Boys in Blue at RBA in the past, and we also understand those who haven’t for obvious reasons. But Tuesday night reminded all of us what a massive impact fans can have on the outcome of a game. No doubt the Comunicaciones supporters fueled their team. And now, it’s our turn to have the advantage at one of the most important matches in our Club’s history. We need our fans to come out in full force to support our squad in the next round. And let me be clear, our aim is to win the whole competition. This is something no other MLS team has done before and we are 100% focused on being the first. We want to bring home even more prestigious silverware for NYC and our fans. We will not be able to do this without your support.
Tickets for our home leg of the SCCL Semifinals will be available for general fans starting at 12pm on Tuesday, March 22. Be on the lookout for more information next week.
Having our incredible fans in the stands at RBA is hugely important for our chances to advance to the Final, but so is proper rest. This is why, in conjunction with MLS, we are shifting our home game on April 9 at Citi Field against DC United to August 31 at RBA as we prepare to represent MLS on the global stage. To note, August 31 is the only date that works for both team schedules and the only venue available is RBA. More details to follow, but wanted to make you aware so you can get these dates on your calendars. For fans who have already purchased single match tickets for the DC United match, please note that Ticketmaster will be in touch to refund or reschedule this match for you.
Looking forward, our aim is always to continue winning. Yesterday, we announced the exciting signing of U22 player, Gabriel Pereira. After already signing our newest Designated Player Thiago Martins during this window, Gabriel will add even more young firepower to an already potent offense. We could not be more excited about the team we have leading us forward to the SCCL Semifinal and looking to add more silverware.
We continue to invest in this team – and another marker of our bright future is the inaugural game of NYCFC II – in the newly created MLS NEXT Pro league – on March 27 at Belson Stadium at St. John’s University vs. New England Revolution II. We hope to see you there to see the next generation of local talent.
Finally, we are looking forward to seeing you all back at Yankee Stadium tomorrow for our home match against Philadelphia. Thank you for coming along this journey as we continue building this Club – and making history – together.
For The City,
Brad |
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