New York City Football Club Return To Yankee Stadium and the Bronx as Champions

Media Contact:

Trey Jenkins

718-590-5433

For Immediate Release:

Bronx, New York, March 10, 2022 – This Saturday, March 12 Major League Soccer (MLS) champions New York City Football Club (NYCFC) return to Yankee Stadium and the Bronx for their first home game of the year against CF Montreal at 1pm. NYCFC is coming off a 3-1 CONCACAF Champions League first leg win against the Guatemalan club Comunicaciones FC. NYCFC sits in ninth place in the MLS Standings with a 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy and 0-0 tie against Vancouver.

With kickoff starting at 1pm there will be several pregame festivities happening inside Yankee Stadium to welcome back the champs including appearances by the MLS Cup Trophy and a formal championship celebration on the pitch.

In addition to the game, there will be several 161^st Street Business Improvement District bars and restaurants open to soccer fans and the public who both are starving for some sports action in the South Bronx. The Dugout (880 River Avenue) will be open at 9:30 a.m. with drink specials and will welcome the NYCFC Fan Club, The Third Rail to the bar. Billy’s Sports Bar (856 River Avenue) will be open with drink specials for any fans that arrive before the gates open at Yankee Stadium. Stan’s Sports Bar (836 River Avenue) will be offering drink specials and a Third Rail NYC Fan Club appearance at 11 a.m. “Stan’s welcomes back NYCFC fans to the Bronx”, said Michael Rendino, of Stan’s Sports Bar. “We hope this first home game is a sign of good things to come for our bars and restaurants in the district.”

Yankee Tavern (72 East 161st Street) will have beer and mix drink specials, the Bronx Draft House (884 Gerard Avenue) will have over 50 craft beers for you to choose from and those at the bar will have a chance to enter a raffle to watch the NYCFC game from the Bronx Draft House Executive Suite at Yankee Stadium. Yankee Twin Eatery Bar (844 River Avenue) will be open at 10 a.m. and will have drink specials and a live DJ Outside and Molino Rojo Restaurant (101 East 161st Street) will have happy hour after the game from 4 to 7 p.m.

“Since last season our sports fans have not been able to fully take advantage of the great bars and restaurants that we have on 161^st Street and the surrounding area before or after a game at Yankee Stadium,” said Trey Jenkins, Executive Director of the 161^st Street Business Improvement District. “With this first home game of the MLS season for NYCFC, and the suspension of COVID restrictions for bars and restaurants, we really hope this is a sign for our district to begin to recover from the pandemic. If NYCFC can get their first home win of the season, that will be the cherry on top.”

The start of the Major League Soccer season also brings with it the start of spring and kids soccer leagues throughout New York City. One important organization in the South Bronx, South Bronx United is excited about the return of NYCFC. "We are excited that professional soccer returns to the South Bronx this weekend, and for the first time, we are home to the Major League Soccer champions,” said Andrew So, Executive Director at South Bronx United. “As always, the South Bronx United community and our youth participants are thrilled to have a fantastic team and some professional role models in our neighborhood to support. We are hoping for a repeat in 2022!"

South Bronx United will be having an opening day of their own on Saturday, March 19 with their Recreational Soccer Program spring season kicking off. Parents who have youth who are interested can find out more information by visiting www.southbronxunited.org/register. March 19 is also NYCFC’s second home game at Yankee Stadium against Philadelphia.

To learn more about the 161st Street BID and stay up-to-date on all happenings in the area, make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

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