To see the growth of the MLS over the past few years, look no further than this weekend’s matchup between New York City Football Club and the Montreal Impact.
A few days ago, the Montreal Impact completed their signing of Didier Drogba, who arguably just might be Chelsea’s greatest player of all-time. NYCFC, meanwhile, recently added Andrea Pirlo, who is one of the most successful and celebrated Italian players in history. This is in addition to an NYCFC that already had Frank Lampard and David Villa, and although these legendary European players are playing stateside in the twilight years of their career, they bring a rush of credibility and skill to Yankee Stadium.
The teams both have 24 points in total on the season, although Montreal has played three fewer games than NYCFC. The playoff cut-line is six positions in both conferences, so every head-to-head matchup between these two clubs until the end of the season will carry some extra weight. This is the third time the two clubs are meeting, with NYCFC winning the both. The addition of Drogba should make the Impact a tougher out, even if NYCFC is playing at home.
Tickets to NYCFC feature an average price of $45 with a get-in price of $22, according to secondary market information from SeatSmart.com. This game at Yankee Stadium on August 1 is the cheapest game of the month for NYCFC, with the second-cheapest having an average ticket price of $57.94
On the other end of the spectrum, the club’s most expensive game is when they take on the Los Angeles Galaxy on the road, drawing an average ticket price of $174.01 and a get-in price of $75. NYCFC also has a game against the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena that is currently drawing an average ticket price of $151.55, with a get-in price of $51. ParkWhiz.com has Yankee Stadium parking starting as low as $9 for this Saturday’s game.
Lampard may not suit up yet again for NYCFC, as the English midfielder has not stepped on the field for the club since joining the team on July 1 due to a calf strain. In any event, there will be a lot of talent on hand when these two clubs meet in this pivotal battle.
