Sky Blue FC will now call Red Bull Arena home.
The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) franchise played two home games at the home of the New York Red Bulls during the 2019 season and strong crowds have led to a permanent relocation from their home at Yurack Field at Rutgers University.
In a statement released on their website, the NWSL side confirmed the agreement is for all of their home games to be played at Red Bull Arena in 2020.
Red Bulls General Manager Marc de Grandpre was delighted to set up the partnership with Sky Blue FC, who are moving to Harrison, NJ.
“We are pleased to welcome Sky Blue FC back to Red Bull Arena after two successful events in 2019,” de Grandpre said. “Having NWSL matches here in Harrison is great for soccer fans in the New York metro area, and we look forward to providing Sky Blue fans, players, and staff a world-class experience every time they enter Red Bull Arena.”
Sky Blue GM Alyse LaHue added that this move will take the club to the “next level” as this switch dramatically improves their home field.
“After our players and fans experienced Red Bull Arena in 2019, we knew it was the perfect venue to host Sky Blue and showcase this incredible league,” LaHue said. “We’re extremely grateful to the Red Bulls organization for all their efforts in reaching this agreement, and will always remain thankful to Rutgers for their commitment to Sky Blue throughout the years. The move to Red Bull Arena builds upon the positive momentum we gained last season and will help propel our club and the league to the next level.”
Sky Blue have been somewhat left behind in the new NWSL era as teams in Portland, Seattle, Orlando, Washington and Utah have been getting big crowds and building off the success of the USWNT, particularly over the past few months.
It remains to be seen whether or not the Red Bulls organization will become more involved in the day-to-day operations or even the ownership of Sky Blue FC.
This is a massive step in the right direction for a franchise which has been lacking in terms of facilities and investment off the pitch.