Etihad Park

I want the roof of the new NYCFC stadium that I mentioned.

This is Etihad Park.

It's mostly open, first of all, but it has this clear glass extending out from the side of the stadium all the way around that I think is really cool.

I've never seen this before.

So by design, what we'll be doing is working with the MLS clubs, whether it's a club like Chicago Fire 2, a club like NYCFC 2, who we just announced were moving to central New Jersey, to the city of Edison in Middlesex County.

moving that club, working with the municipality to build a new stadium, relaunching and rebranding that club in the image and with an identity that reflects its new home, but with the same players, the best young players who are, in the case of NYCFC, on their way to play at the new Etihad Park in Queens that is going to be opening up next summer.

So really, really exciting project.

We'll work on doing most of the league, more or less the whole league into new markets and new stadiums over the next five or six years, like a conveyor belt, rolling them out several at a time each year as soon as we find the right homes for each of these new clubs.

Talked about it.

Tom brought it up and we had a quick exchange on it.

I did get to see Etihad Park build out.

It's literally adjacent to Citi Field.

Mike, let's talk about some positives.

Saturday, ahead of the LAFC match, you had an opportunity to do the hard hat tour of Etihad Park.

Again, I think it was a month ago, they did the formal presentation where they had the first fans come when the first set of seats were installed, and now it feels like close to 75% of the seats are installed.

Yeah, it's beautiful.

Um, but like if it's a, sunny 70 degree day, low wind, perfect day for flying.

For the most part, planes are going to be taking off from runway 13 or 31.

Well, like I said, it's, um, I was in Miami and, uh, I got a very good experience of what it's going to be like because, uh, Miami's stadium is basically in the same, uh, you know, situation as Etihad park.

Um, you know, new stadium is in, uh, is directly adjacent to the, um, to the, uh, Miami Airport, and there were planes going overhead.

This week we discuss New York City FC's last two matches, a humbling midweek loss on the road against Inter Miami, followed by a limp, but still 1-1 draw with LAFC at Citi Field.

John will tell us all about his experience touring Etihad Park, and we'll discuss some comments made by MLS commissioner Don Garber related to Manchester City's Premier League scandal.

All that before we preview New York City's trip back to Florida to face Antoine Griezmann and the new-look Orlando City SC.

But before we get into it, like to welcome in my partner in crime, Mr. John Baney.

The more I think about this, the more it's gonna make me just blow a gasket.

We're gonna get to some positive stuff after the break.

John's got some stories from touring Etihad Park, and then we're gonna preview New York City FC's trip down to go see the new league Samba boys.

I mean, Griezmann, you know, wrote enough stories about it, told everyone this was how it was gonna be.