Yankee Stadium will likely reach maximum capacity when the Yankees host the Minnesota Twins in the American League Division Series in October. With all of the success surrounding the Yankees, NYCFC had to find a new, temporary home for its matches.
NYCFC, who shares the historic venue with the Yankees, released hosting scenarios for the upcoming weeks as both teams prepare for a deep playoff push. The soccer team finished the season with 61 points and clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, meaning they have home-field advantage.
If the Yankees manage to claim the American League pennant, NYCFC will play the Eastern Conference semi-final and final at Citi Field, home of the New York Mets. The only other scenario where NYCFC will play in Queens, NY instead of the Bronx is if the Yankees don't advance to the ALCS but the series ends in six or seven games.
#NYCFC Announces 2019 Playoff Pricing and Hosting ScenariosREAD ➡️ https://t.co/yYXP6jX1Ay pic.twitter.com/SRvqvbuTG1
— New York City FC (@NYCFC) October 1, 2019"We're extremely proud of the team's achievement this season and finishing top of the Eastern Conference will provide us with a great platform as we enter our fourth consecutive playoff campaign," Sporting Director Claudio Reyna told ESPN's Jeff Carlisle. Should Yankee Stadium be unavailable, we feel extremely comfortable playing our games at Citi Field which has proven to be an excellent alternative venue for the Club."
NYCFC doesn't have to worry about playing at Citi Field if the Yankees are unable to make it out of their divisional series matchup, beginning on Oct. 4.
This isn't the first instance where the football club needed to adjust on the fly due to the Yankees' postseason success. In 2017, NYCFC was forced to play its final regular season game at Citi Field to appease the Yankees' ALCS schedule.
18: GOL @Guaje7Villa!!#NYCFC 1-1 Columbus Crew pic.twitter.com/vBtQEtRgjj
— NYCFC Español (@NYCFCEspanol) October 22, 2017"Citi Field is an excellent ballpark which has hosted international soccer matches in the past," Reyna said in 2017. "From a Sporting perspective, this represents an easy transition which would allow our team to get the result we will be looking for."
NYCFC has continued its search for a resolution to its timeshare conflict. The club was linked to various proposals for a permanent home, including the expressed interest at a venue at Belmont Park on Long Island. The area was ultimately selected for the NHL's New York Islanders, and forced NYCFC to look elsewhere.
