COLUMBUS – Columbus Crew today announced that in collaboration with local health authorities, Historic Crew Stadium will be welcoming fans back in a full capacity for The Crew’s final match at the historic venue, the first soccer-specific stadium in MLS. This will mark the first contest at full capacity at Historic Crew Stadium since Opening Match in 2020 (March 1). The Black & Gold are set to host longtime Eastern Conference foe Chicago Fire FC on Saturday, June 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET with Bally Sports Ohio hosting a special one-hour pre-game show to commemorate the occasion [6:30 p.m. ET / Bally Sports Ohio / 97.1 FM The Fan & 971TheFan.com (English); ColumbusCrew.com (Spanish)]. Tickets to the match are slated to go on sale Friday, June 4 beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET.
“The ability to open Historic Crew Stadium to full-capacity crowds for our final match allows us to give our storied venue a proper send-off,” said Columbus Crew President & General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko. “After an immensely challenging year for our community battling the pandemic, we are thrilled to be able to celebrate this momentous occasion by welcoming back large groups of our loyal supporters to what has been our home the past 22 years. We look forward to seeing everyone dressed in Black & Gold while chanting, cheering and celebrating with us at Historic Crew Stadium later this month.”
Supporters interested in purchasing tickets and parking passes to The Crew’s match against Chicago Fire FC may do so through Ticketmaster.com. Purchased tickets for the contest will be available on mobile devices only. This match is included in all 2021 season ticket packages, with current season ticket holders receiving seats as follows: 2020 full season ticket holders will receive seats in a similar section purchased for 2020 and new 2021 season ticket holders will be placed in a section comparable to that purchased at New Crew Stadium. Additional information will be sent directly to all 2021 Season Ticket Members.
While there will be no official PPE mask or social distancing requirements, fans can still wear masks if they feel more comfortable doing so. Additionally, supporters will once again be able to tailgate in the general parking lot of Historic Crew Stadium on June 19. The venue will remain a cashless facility for this match.
Historic Crew Stadium opened its doors in 1999 as the first soccer-specific stadium in MLS. In addition to serving as The Crew’s home venue, Historic Crew Stadium has also hosted several key matches in MLS and U.S. Soccer history, including: Three MLS Cup matches (2001, 2015, 2020), two MLS All-Star games (2000, 2005), four FIFA Women’s World Cup Group Stage matches (2003), 10 FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches (2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2016) and two SheBelieves Cup matches (2018).
Notably, the U.S. Men’s National Team was undefeated at Historic Crew Stadium from 2000-2016, with record of 8–3–0 in all competitions, while outscoring opponents 19–1. Historic Crew Stadium also became the home of “Dos a Cero,” as the U.S. defeated Mexico 2-0 in four consecutive FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches from 2001-2013.
The Crew’s new training facility, the OhioHealth Performance Center, is set to open adjacent to Historic Crew Stadium. The OhioHealth Performance Center is set to feature two First Team natural grass fields along with one natural grass field and artificial turf for the Columbus Crew Academy.
More information on The Crew’s inaugural match at New Crew Stadium on July 3 will be communicated in the near future. Supporters interested in learning more about purchasing 2021 Season Ticket Memberships should visit CrewStadium.com, where they can see the view from each seat location along with the benefits of each section. Fans can also schedule their own private virtual tour of the New Crew Stadium with a Columbus Crew ticket representative.
