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Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports
I'll admit it, I used to be a soccer denier. I used to think it was boring, and that no one in the United States cared about it. But over the last few years, I've found myself really getting into the sport, especially after NYCFC's MLS Cup championship in 2021, yes I know, call me a bandwagon fan.
I also started paying attention to the English Premier League a bit, watching the games when I actually can at 9 AM here on the east coast United States, with my allegiance slowly drifting towards Arsenal. Just a disclaimer, I can't overstate how casual my soccer fandom truly is.
Soccer is the fastest growing sport in the U.S., and I can finally see why.
My home football club, NYCFC, teased a new stadium for the team at Willets Point in Queens, right near Citi Field. It's about time. NYCFC has been mostly playing at Yankee Stadium since 2015, but it never truly felt like the team had a place to call "home." During the MLB regular season, NYCFC is at the mercy of the Yankees' home schedule, and when they can't play at Yankee Stadium they're either at Citi Field where they have to revolve around the Mets' schedule, or they play at their rival Red Bull Arena in New Jersey which is just... yuck. That would be like if the Rangers had to play a set amount of home games at UBS Arena. No thank you.
If you've ever been to Citi Field, then you'd know that the surrounding area is an absolute dump. Chop shops galore, dirt roads, mud puddles, and dilapidated buildings. It really is quite the eye sore. New York City officials have had plans for years to develop the neighborhood at Willets Point, and the new(ish) Mets ownership has also shown a strong interest in helping invest in the development around Citi Field. After all, a great game day experience near the stadium is bound to bring the team more money. Look at Fenway and Wrigley, hitting those bars and restaurants before the game makes the fan experience so much better than just showing up, paying $15 for a hot dog and then taking your seat. People will want to actually hangout in the area. Come playoff time for both the Mets and NYCFC, and the surrounding neighborhood will be an electric factory. I'm 100% there. Count me in.
This is fantastic news for enjoyers of live sports like myself. I had never been able to bring myself to go to a soccer game since Yankee Stadium is such a pain in the neck to get to from Long Island, but getting to Willets Point via the Long Island Rail Road is a breeze, and I can't wait to start repping the sky blue.