Rapids to Take on NYC FC in 2015 Home Opener
December 19, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release
The expansion New York City Football Club (NYCFC), with a starting lineup likely to include international superstar David Villa, will be the opponent Saturday, March 21, when the Colorado Rapids open their 2015 home season at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Major League Soccer today released the list of home openers taking place in the month of March.
Villa, a member of Spain's 2010 World Cup champions who starred at Valencia and Barcelona, will likely be in the lineup when NYCFC kicks off against the Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park at 2 p.m. The New York roster also lists Frank Lampard, the England international and longtime Chelsea star, who is currently with Manchester City, but his availability is in question because of the English Premier League season will still be active.
Villa and Lampard, two of Europe's top players of the last decade, will give the expansion club a potentially lethal one-two punch for 2015.
"Whenever you have the chance to step on the field and compete against players like David Villa and Frank Lampard, it means something extra special to our players," said Coach Pablo Mastroeni. "You always want a chance to play against the best, and these two players have been at the top of their game at the highest level for many years."
NYCFC, which is jointly owned by the New York Yankees professional baseball club and Manchester City Football Club in England, is one of two expansion teams (the other is Orlando City) that will compete in the 20-team MLS in 2015. Former U.S. international Claudio Reyna is the club's director of football operations. Jason Kreis, who won an MLS Cup as coach at Real Salt Lake in 2009 and took his team to the final again in 2013, is NYCFC's head coach.
Lampard, Villa by the numbers
Lampard, 36, played for Chelsea from 2001-2014, scoring 211 goals in 648 appearances. A three-time Chelsea Player of the Year, he is the club's all-time leading goal scorer. Through the years he also has been a mainstay on England's national squad, scoring 29 goals in 106 appearances (1999-2014).
Lampard helped Chelsea win four FA Cup titles and three English Premier League championships. In 2005, he was runner-up in the balloting for both the FIFA World Player of the Year and the Ballon d'Or. That same year the Football Writers in England named him Player of the Year.
Villa, 33, scored 128 goals in 217 appearances at Valencia (Spain) from 2005-2010, before moving to Barcelona where he scored 48 goals in 116 appearances from 2010-2013. He has scored 59 goals in 97 appearances for Spain, and was a member of Spain's World Cup champion team in 2010 and was also a member of the 2006 World Cup squad. Villa was Spain's Player of the Year in 2005-2006 and won the UEFA Euro Golden Boot in 2008.
NYCFC announced this week that it had signed a multi-year broadcasting deal with the YES Network, which will carry all home and away games for the club, including the home opener with the Rapids. New York's games also will be broadcast on radio by CBS Radio's WFAN.
How to get tickets for the NYCFC opener
"We are excited that our home opener will feature two players who our fans have been watching for years on TV, but now will be able to see right here at Dick's Sporting Goods Park," said Sean Ream, vice president of ticket sales and service. Ream said season ticket renewals have been strong for 2015 and are on pace to match last year's highest club renewal rate of 85 percent. Single game tickets will go on sale in February.
However, the Rapids have a special Holiday Pack, which makes a perfect Christmas gift, on sale now. The package consists of a single game ticket (fans can select the home opener against NYCFC), a Rapids hat (beanie), with the package price starting at $35. Purchasers will be contacted after the first of the year select which game they want to attend. For more information on the Holiday Pack or tickets for the season, contact the Rapids ticket office at 303-825-GOAL.
List of Major League Soccer home openers
Dates and matchups for the 2015 home openers are below (home teams listed first).
All matches subject to change
Friday, March 6
LA Galaxy vs. Chicago Fire (StubHub Center)
Saturday, March 7
D.C. United vs. Montreal Impact (RFK Stadium)
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Toronto FC (BC Place)
Houston Dynamo vs. Columbus Crew SC (BBVA Compass Stadium)
Philadelphia Union vs. Colorado Rapids (PPL Park)
Portland Timbers vs. Real Salt Lake (Providence Park)
FC Dallas vs. San Jose Earthquakes (Toyota Stadium)
Sunday, March 8
Orlando City SC vs. New York City FC (Orlando Citrus Bowl)
Sporting Kansas City vs. New York Red Bulls (Sporting Park)
Seattle Sounders FC vs. New England Revolution (CenturyLink Field)
Saturday, March 14
Chicago Fire vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Toyota Park)
Real Salt Lake vs. Philadelphia Union (Rio Tinto Stadium)
Columbus Crew SC vs. Toronto FC (Crew Stadium)
Sunday, March 15
New York City FC vs. New England Revolution (Yankee Stadium)
Saturday, March 21
New England Revolution vs. Montreal Impact (Gillette Stadium)
Colorado Rapids vs. New York City FC (Dick's Sporting Goods Park)
Sunday, March 22
New York Red Bulls vs. D.C. United (Red Bull Arena)
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Chicago Fire (Avaya Stadium)
Saturday, March 28
Montreal Impact vs. Orlando City SC (Olympic Stadium)
Sunday, May 10
Toronto FC vs. Houston Dynamo (BMO Field)
*Home opener to follow BMO Field renovations
Major League Soccer Stories from December 19, 2014
- Houston Dynamo to Open 2015 Season on March 7 at BBVA Compass Stadium vs. Columbus Crew SC - Houston Dynamo FC
- Chicago Fire Sign David Accam - Chicago Fire FC
- Landon Donovan Receives Lifetime Achievement Award - LA Galaxy
- Claudio Lopez Returns to Rapids as Director of Soccer - Colorado Rapids
- Marco Pappa and Landon Donovan Take Home Awards at Inaugural Premios Univision Deportes - MLS
- Marco Pappa Wins MLS Player of the Year Honor at Premios Univision - Seattle Sounders FC
- Brek Shea Signs with Orlando City SC - Orlando City SC
- Sounders FC to Open 2015 Season at Home on March 8 - Seattle Sounders FC
- New York Red Bulls to Open Franchise's 20th Season at Sporting KC - New York Red Bulls
- LA Galaxy to Open 2015 MLS Season March 6 at StubHub Center - LA Galaxy
- Whitecaps FC to Host Toronto FC in 2015 MLS Season Opener - Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- New England Revolution to Open 20th Season of MLS on Sunday, March 8 - New England Revolution
- Rapids to Take on NYC FC in 2015 Home Opener - Colorado Rapids
- Real Salt Lake to Host 2015 Home Opener on Saturday, March 14 - Real Salt Lake
- Chicago Fire Host Opening Day at Toyota Park on March 14 - Chicago Fire FC
- Montreal Impact to Play 2015 Home Opener on March 28 - Club de Foot Montreal
- MLS and National Broadcast Partners Open 20th Season with Six Marquee Matches - MLS
- MLS Announces Home Opening Dates for 2015 Season - Toronto FC
- D.C. United Announces 2015 MLS Home Opener - D.C. United
- Philadelphia Union to Host Colorado for 2015 Season Opener - Philadelphia Union
- Orlando City Will Face New York City FC in MLS Home Opener at Citrus Bowl - Orlando City SC
- Timbers to Face Western Conference Foe Real Salt Lake in Home Opener - Portland Timbers
- Columbus Crew SC to Open Home Schedule on March 14 - Columbus Crew SC
- Sporting KC to Open 2015 Season at Home on March 8 - Sporting Kansas City
- Earthquakes to Open Avaya Stadium on Sunday, March 22 against Chicago Fire on National Television - San Jose Earthquakes
- Real Salt Lake Trades Sebastian Velasquez to New York City FC - Real Salt Lake
- San Jose Earthquakes Select Marvell Wynne in 2nd Stage of MLS Re-Entry Draft - Colorado Rapids
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