MLS Rivalry Week officially starts Wednesday, but we got an early preview of the events to come when New York City Football Club, NYCFC, completely took over the Adidas Soho store in Manhattan on Tuesday.
The entire squad was in attendance for the fan meet & greet event, Black Sports Online, was in attendance getting interaction with the players on what shows all the signs of being a breakout year for the Football Club. With the possible acquisition of one of the sport’s greatest players in recent memory, Andrea Pirlo–not to mention a winning streak, everything seems to be going NYCFC’s way.
The Adidas flagship store was packed with fans draped in blue and white waiting in line for a chance to get autographs, take selfies and wish the squad the best of luck. Oh, and hold their babies up to World Cup winners…
The theme of night’s events? Establish dominance in NYC and prove who runs the tri-state, as they get ready to write a new chapter in their burgeoning rivalry with the NY Red Bulls. When last they met, the Red Bulls beat NYCFC 2-1 at Red Bull Arena, but now, things are heading up to the Bronx, Yankee Stadium to be exact, and the fans will be rooting for the true NY team to prevail.
The evening’s festivities actually got started early when team Captain and legend in his own right, David Villa raced through the Adidas store and changed into team apparel in a moment’s notice, ready to greet media and fans without even blinking. That then prompted me to question the ‘truth’ behind Villa’s speed and overall prowess on the field.
Lol I had to ask the man #NYCFC pic.twitter.com/CJAF5RqoBe
— Ashley Nicole (@geeksandcleats) June 23, 2015
We’ll see Villa and crew’s true superhero abilities as they take the field Sunday in the Bronx. In a relatively short amount of time, NYCFC has branched out as the NYC team, as proven in the last game between them and the Red Bulls, where despite the loss, blue and white reigned supreme in the stands–in Jersey, no less.
With the Adidas event and the game Sunday, the fanbase continues to grow and thrive, a win takes the team to a new level as competitors on the MLS stage.
The fans have truly spoken.
Photos via New York City FC