By Kishan Singh

Since its inception, the New York Red Bulls (NYRB), and its predecessor the New York/New Jersey Metro Stars has always represented NY in MLS. However, this is about to change. When the new MLS season starts in 2015, New York soccer fans will now have to choose between two New York teams as owner of world giant Manchester City Football Club in the English Premier League has added a new New York team to the MLS, New York City Football Club (NYCFC), set to play their first season at the famous Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York.

New Yorkers are used to choosing between different New York teams, in many different leagues of course; the NBA’s Nets and Knicks, the NFL’s Giants and Jets and even the Rangers and the Islanders of the NHL. These leagues, however, have their team stadiums solely in the same state, New York and in the case of the NFL, New Jersey. However; in the case of the NYCFC and NYRB, their stadiums will be based in different states, with NYCFC playing home games in New York and NYRB playing home games in New Jersey.

The New York Red Bulls is a very dominating team in the MLS and on this side of the globe. It has built a very recognizable brand of itself, and attracted the likes of many first class European soccer players, its most famous, Thierry Henry, former French forward who has played at some of Europe largest clubs and has acquired numerous silverware and is one of the world’s most recognizable player, Bradley Wright-Phillips, English footballer, who is the past season top scorer and Tim Cahill, Australian footballer who is nominated for the FIFA Puskas Award for goal of the year, following his outing at the FIFA 2014 World Cup held in Brazil last summer.

Apart from the MLS, the New York Red Bulls are also recognizable in Ghana, Brazil, Germany and Austria as these countries all have clubs owned by Redbull, NYRB owner, therefore developing a fan base.

New York City Football Club, although very new, is used to the limelight. It has sprung from one of the most recognizable brand in the world, Man. City FC., and therefore it is expected to compete at the highest standard. With other clubs and training facilities by the same owner in Australia, Japan, Denmark, Spain ,Ghana, Portugal, Ireland, South Africa and work permit clubs in Sweden, Holland, Belgium and Norway, NYCFC will have no problem gaining fan bases around the world. And with two of the world’s most famous footballers already signed by the club, David Villa, former Spanish striker, winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2012 winner, Champions League winner and Spain’s all-time top scorer, as well as Frank Lampard, considered to be one of the best midfielders of his generation, former English international and winner of the Champions League.

But will NYCFC be able to gain a fan base in state where soccer revolves mostly around the Red Bulls?

Because NYCFC has set up its home in New York City, it has concomitantly forced many compromising and even non soccer fans, to choose which is easier to go to, the stadium that the famous Yankee team plays at, and the one that they have easier access too. Even though soccer has made a lot of strides in New York, there is just a small fan base scattered throughout the borough or state, and therefore NYCFC will imminently produce more fans because of its accessibility.

“NYCFC is getting Frank Lampard and David Villa, big name players, to attract a lot of people, and in the New York market you need to get big name players that people will recognize,” stated Brad Hill, avid Red Bulls supporter.

Former New England Revolution player and coach at New York SC stated that “logistically, it is easier to be a NYCFC fan, they (NYCFC) are signing some big name players, but I just hope that they will reach out to the local product of players, and mix them in with the high profile professionals.”

Many may argue that NYRB will lose some of its fans, however; die-hard fans will always be around, even though they might visit the Yankee Stadium to sneak a peek at David Villa or Frank Lampard, apathetically trying to procure their autographs. They will continue to drive out in New Jersey for the Red Bulls home games, but maybe, many seasons from now, New Jersey might finally be able to call the Red Bulls a Jersey team as Brad Hill stated “ I feel like the Red Bulls are more of a New Jersey based club a lot of the fans seems to be from there.”

Will NYCFC two star players be able to help them outshine NYRB?

Maybe. But two players doesn’t make a team. On a path to domination, any team will give it their all but in the case of NYCFC and NYRB, we can be sure that these two teams will be putting in extra hours on the training field, and their star players will without doubt exhibit acute and fascinating skills with the ball and produce some of MLS more electrifying moments, to give fans something to remember (and to think about).

“MLS is tough, you can only have three players above the salary threshold, so you can’t come in and buy the MLS championship.” claimed Jason Puckett.

So how will the NYRB fans react towards NYCFC at the start of the new MLS season?
We can be sure there will be some kind of rivalry. Maybe a silent rivalry. Maybe the stadiums will erupt at games against each other. Loyalty will be tested. At the start of the 2015 MLS season, a new age of soccer insurrection will begin in NYC, and at the end of the season we are sure that matches between these two teams will be some of the classics in US soccer.

“There is certainly going to be a rivalry because a lot of Red Bulls fans are from NYC, the five borough, it will be built on rivalry,” stated Dan Smith, Red Bulls fan.