November 19 – NYCFC, the new New York City MLS franchise scheduled to start play in the 2015 season, is increasing its marketing presence and trading on the group’s assets with a new video featuring Manchester City players in New York.
Players including Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany, Samir Nasri, Joe Hart, David Silva, Gael Clichy, James Milner and Matija Nastasic take part in a feature video that sees them in a pass and move game around the city, spanning iconic New York locations including Brooklyn Bridge Park, Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, Manhattan Highline and Rucker Park in Harlem.
Fans are being asked to join the movement at www.nycfc.com/jointhemovement and enter a competition to win the signed ball featured in the video, plus a weekend trip to the Big Apple, including flights, accommodation and two tickets to New York City Football Club’s opening home game.
NCYFC currently has 17,700 like on Facebook and 33,800 followers on twitter.
A partnership between Manchester City and the New York Yankees, NCYFC will become Major League Soccer’s 20th team and the second MLS team in New York alongside the New York Red Bulls who play in New Jersey. The old New York Cosmos rejected a move into the MLS in favour of retaining more control of their activities and launching in the second tier of US professional leagues, the North American Soccer League (NASL).
The cost of setting up the new franchise is expected to be in the region $100 million, with the money provided by the Manchester City’s Emirati owner Sheikh Mansour and his associates. Manchester City will be the major shareholder.
A new stadium in New York is planned though there is no confirmation and some local opposition. On the launch of the franchise, MLS commissioner Don Garber called it “a transformational development that will elevate the league to new heights”.
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