I know it's only August, but with MLB releasing their 2019 schedule last week, I took a peek at the Yankees homestands (pdf). Looks like NYCFC's weekend home dates are pretty much set for next year. We've had 12 or 13 weekend home matches scheduled each season so far. If that pattern holds, the team will likely play on all but one of the following weekends. Available dates during the baseball season based on the 72-hour turnaround rule.
March 2/3
March 9/10
March 16/17
*March 23/24
April 6/7
April 27/28
June 29/30
July 6/7
July 27
Aug 24/25
*Sept 7/8
Sept 14
Oct 20/27 -- Game 34
(* FIFA dates; Gold Cup: June 15-July 7)
A total of 13 weekends. One of the March weekends is likely out. That's still four potential cold-weather matches through the first weekend in April. Then there's a two-month gap between late April and late June. July 27 and Sept 14 are Saturdays with scheduling pressure that may push the matches to Friday. The Yankees play the following Tuesday in each case. A 72-hour turnaround would mean that the NYCFC match would need to end by late afternoon. That may be problematic for July 27 with the shift to evening kickoffs during the summer. Three other Saturdays -- April 6, June 29 and Sept 7 -- face scheduling pressure from the other side with Yankees games on the prior Wednesday. Getaway day games would mean a Saturday evening kickoff at the earliest. But the Sundays on those weekends are available in each case, so not a big deal. Game 34 is a wildcard as usual with the Yankees' likely playoff run.
If NYCFC plays 12 weekend home matches, that leaves five midweek dates out of the following:
Wed/Thu
April 24/25
May 22/23
*June 5/6
July 3/4
July 24/25
Aug 7/8
Aug 21/22
Sept 11/12
Sept 25/26
If the potential Saturday match on July 27 is pushed to Friday as mentioned above, that would take July 24/25 out of play. Blocking off the June 5/6 FIFA dates leading up to the Gold Cup would leave seven options. Much more speculative on the midweek situation, so I'll stop there until we have more information.
Edited to correct Gold Cup dates.
March 2/3
March 9/10
March 16/17
*March 23/24
April 6/7
April 27/28
June 29/30
July 6/7
July 27
Aug 24/25
*Sept 7/8
Sept 14
Oct 20/27 -- Game 34
(* FIFA dates; Gold Cup: June 15-July 7)
A total of 13 weekends. One of the March weekends is likely out. That's still four potential cold-weather matches through the first weekend in April. Then there's a two-month gap between late April and late June. July 27 and Sept 14 are Saturdays with scheduling pressure that may push the matches to Friday. The Yankees play the following Tuesday in each case. A 72-hour turnaround would mean that the NYCFC match would need to end by late afternoon. That may be problematic for July 27 with the shift to evening kickoffs during the summer. Three other Saturdays -- April 6, June 29 and Sept 7 -- face scheduling pressure from the other side with Yankees games on the prior Wednesday. Getaway day games would mean a Saturday evening kickoff at the earliest. But the Sundays on those weekends are available in each case, so not a big deal. Game 34 is a wildcard as usual with the Yankees' likely playoff run.
If NYCFC plays 12 weekend home matches, that leaves five midweek dates out of the following:
Wed/Thu
April 24/25
May 22/23
*June 5/6
July 3/4
July 24/25
Aug 7/8
Aug 21/22
Sept 11/12
Sept 25/26
If the potential Saturday match on July 27 is pushed to Friday as mentioned above, that would take July 24/25 out of play. Blocking off the June 5/6 FIFA dates leading up to the Gold Cup would leave seven options. Much more speculative on the midweek situation, so I'll stop there until we have more information.
Edited to correct Gold Cup dates.
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