New York City FC open entire Yankee Stadium for inaugural MLS home game

The opening weekend of the 2015 Major League Soccer season was a rousing success, if you take record-setting attendance numbers (25,838 average at 10 MLS stadiums) as an indicator of the league’s growing popularity.

[ MLS: Week 1 TOTW | POTW ]

With a number of teams set to make their 2015 home debut this weekend, big numbers are expected once again, particularly in the Big Apple, as New York City FC announced on Monday that the entire upper level of Yankee Stadium has been opened up for ticket sales ahead Sunday’s inaugural home game against the New England Revolution (5 pm ET, ESPN2).

The regular capacity for NYCFC games at Yankee Stadium this year will be 27,528, but with more than 30,000 tickets already sold, Sunday’s opener looks a safe bet to push into the mid- to upper-40,000s in tickets sold.

[ MORE: After 62,000 for Orlando’s inaugural game, is soccer here to stay in Florida? ]

NYCFC president Tom Glick, from a team statement:

“Demand for seats for this historic game has been tremendous and momentum is growing by the day. It was only 10 days ago that we announced that the 300 level will be open. Now with more than 30,000 sold, we have decided to open even more seats. New Yorkers clearly want to be part of this landmark moment for our club and for soccer and we are giving them every opportunity to come and support their new team.”

NYCFC also announced on Monday it has reached 15,000 season ticket holders for the 2015 season. According to the club, more than 60 percent of those fans have never purchased season tickets in any sport in the city.

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