The snake has the mongoose, the worm has the early bird, and of course the Roadrunner has the Coyote. Rivals are a natural part of life, death and everything in between, and sport is no different. Red Sox/Yankees, Michigan/Ohio State, Ali/Frazier. Tastes Great/Less Filling.
Why? Because a rival can help a team focus. Because it can help a fanbase focus. Because worst case scenario, it can salvage an otherwise abysmal season with one paltry win. Bragging rights, some call it. “A small scrap of pride in a desolate wilderness of shame and disappointment” is its other name.
But when you’re an expansion team, especially a true expansion team – that is, one with no history or traditions carried over from another league (like Orlando City this year) or re-incarnation of a pre-existing team (like Houston back in 2006) who do you hate?
For there is not a passion so strongly rooted in the human heart as envy. And for fans of any New York team, knowing who to hate is paramount. Or at least worth arguing about.
It would seem that in determining a true rival for New York City FC, there are 3 logical choices and 4 less obvious ones to consider.
First, of course, there are the New York Red Bulls. NYCFC ostensibly share a market with the former MetroStars (though many New Yorkers will argue that northern New Jersey is NOT New York), thus putting love and money at the heart of every battle on the pitch. Furthermore, if the Citizens have any kind of the immediate success that has eluded the lads in Harrison, they’ll make the struggles of the Red Bulls look all that much more, shall we say, frustrating. As a result, this is a rivalry that could very quickly turn one of these teams into the Mets of Major League Soccer. Which frankly might be incentive enough for anyone sitting in Yankee Stadium.
Russell McKenzie (Station Director for @LWOSRadio. Beat writer covering Red Bull New York. Cohost/producer @LastWordSC radio & @thesportsgents – @Russ_McKenzie) replies:
“Some look at the history of the New York Red Bulls and think that, because of some poor choices and results, they will be relegated to being a second class team in the New York Metro soccer hierarchy. In my opinion, that history, playing in the crown jewel of soccer specific stadiums, combined with a run of form over the past few years, make them the exact opposite of what is suggested above. The club has a new philosophy, one that goes against the policy of blind spending (cough cough Etihad), and more in line with what really works in MLS. You see, the team is the thing. That coupled with depth driven by a fruitful youth development program is the way to long term success.
“Of course City has the money, but I’ll be very surprised if it doesn’t take a decade before City Football Group figures out how to deal with a salary cap. They still don’t really know how to deal with Financial Fair Play rules. Regardless, the Hudson River Derby opens up its first chapter at Red Bull Arena on May 10th. The proof of the rivalry will be told by the atmosphere and the play on the pitch (not the outfield).”
Second, and also probably terribly obviously, is Orlando City SC. Both teams entered the league at the same time and the comparisons – odious and otherwise – have already begun. One team was “promoted” from the USL, the other team was invented from scratch. One team is backed by global sporting, “big money” powers, while the other draws inspiration from a loyal and ostensibly “scrappy” local fan base. One has already gotten authorization to build a soccer-specific stadium while the other is making teams play on a converted baseball field in the heart of the Evil Empire. Blah blah blah. Give it a rest, Simba.
Paul Tenorio (Reporter for the Orlando Sentinel covering Orlando City SC and the beautiful game – @PaulTenorio) replies
“It’s inevitable that two teams entering the league at the same time are going to be compared. It’s an easy way to gauge each club’s progress – there is a clear, like-for-like measuring stick right there to see. What makes the “rivalry” more interesting, though, is how hard NYCFC fans seem to want to fight it – even despite Jason Kreis acknowledging the obvious nature of this relationship – while Orlando City fans are quick to embrace NYCFC as the evil counterpart to their “pure” way of being born as a club. That message-board and social-media bickering may be more fun to watch than anything on the field, especially if it’s being played on the postage-stamp sized pitch at Yankee Stadium.”
Third, well, it’s entirely possible that Real Salt Lake hates NYCFC for stealing Jason Kreis away. And while the Citizens may not bear the faithful in Rio Tinto any malice, there’s nothing New Yorkers love more than hating someone who hates them for taking a beloved icon. Remember, the Yankee-Red Sox rivalry is, at its core, about a hundred-year-old personnel move. And what if NYCFC make it to the playoffs and beyond while the lads in Utah languish at the bottom of the Western Conference table? How could they NOT bear a grudge?
Talon Chappell (LWOS Real Salt Lake Beat Reporter– @TalonChappell) replies:
“Nowhere in MLS is there more of a ‘family’ than at RSL, and splitting up that family is something that fans are definitely not happy about .
“First they lured away our beloved Jason Kreis, the only man whose name and number grace the wall above the club seats of Rio Tinto Stadium. Then they took former stalwarts Ned Grabavoy and Chris Wingert, players who had been with the club for years and had been an integral part of the slogan “The Team is the Star”. And if that wasn’t enough motivation, NYCFC also signed former backup goalkeeper Josh Saunders and former RSL substitution midfielder Sebastian Velasquez (who endeared himself to Rio Tinto when he scored the aggregate tying goal against the former MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy in the 2013 MLS playoffs).
“I believe the crowd will “love the sinner, but hate the sin” – that is, they’ll welcome back our former players with open arms, but still wish for a four or five goal demolition of NYCFC.”
So those are the three easiest rivalries to identify. But why make this easy? Let’s go out on a limb. Let’s look at some less obvious, but certainly entertaining options.
Manchester City – What? The parent club? How could THEY be NYCFC’s rival? Three reasons come to mind. 1. Frank Lampard, 2. Stop treating us like we’re a franchise, 3. Did we mention Frank Lampard? Look, hating your parents has been in vogue since long before James Dean yelled at Jim Backus about Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo, so why not here? Of course, the downside is that the Citizens will probably never actually PLAY AGAINST the parent club, at least not in a meaningful match. But hey, no rivalry is perfect and that’s certainly not going to stop fans from arguing in bars and on twitter.
Seb Segarra (LWOS UEFA Senior Editor and Premier League analyst – @PitchsidePie) replies:
“First off: Frank Lampard will only ever be a victory for Manchester City. The Chelsea legend was snatched from the cash-cow that is New York City and managed to even score against the London side. City’s only regret in ‘losing’ Lampard to the MLS side would be that they begin to struggle filling the home-grown quota in the Premier League. If a rivalry started on this, it would be a very fickle relationship.
“Secondly, why should City stop treating NYCFC like a franchise? That is really what it is whilst the players treat it like that. Until New York City shed the skin of their ‘parent’, they’ll always be seen as affiliated with the Manchester side, the dominant one.
“Yes, New York City could view Manchester City as their ‘rivals’, but it wouldn’t be a mutual gesture. The Citizens have too many priorities and historically bigger rivals. Finding a rival may not be the answer; building one over the years probably will be.”
Melbourne City FC – Don’t let the fact that they’re on the other side of the planet distract you. These brothers in arms are perfectly cast to be the heavies in a longterm bout of sibling rivalry the likes of which we haven’t seen since Dallas (the TV show, not Brek Shea’s old team). Why? How about we start with the fact that they got David Villa first. He was supposed to be OUR signing. IT’S NOT FAIR! MOM ALWAYS LIKED THEM BETTER… (see how easy that was?)
Alex Barilaro (LWOS Premier League Editor and Resident Aussie Writer – @Alex_Barra12) replies:
“Melbourne City certainly have passion when it comes to rivalries. Their cross-town rivalry with the Melbourne Victory received something of an enhancement with the cash brought by the City group. So it stands to reason that the two ‘projects’ of the City group would find a rivalry in striving to be the more successful sibling. Funnily enough, resentment already exists: the aforementioned David Villa cut short his contractually obliged 10-game spell in Melbourne because of ‘advertising and presentation’ issues to be upheld in New York, leaving Melbourne City with a very distasteful perspective of their cross-world brethren: something of a ‘they think they can get away with anything‘ criticism, to be exact. Villa is still contractually obliged to play the remaining six games on his Melbourne City trial; something most City fans are eager to ensure, at least the ones down under.”
DC United – Could they be a rival because they’re in the Eastern Conference? No. Because they’re a storied team with a rich legacy? No. Because they’re just a short bus ride down I-95? No. They’re a potential rival because everyone hates on DC United. They’re like the Oakland Raiders of MLS – except their fans don’t dress quite as well and their stadium is slightly better. If you’re looking for someone to get in a blood feud with, DC is always a popular option.
Alec Rivera (LWOS MLS Department Head and DC United Beat Reporter – @LWOSAlec) replies:
“For their part, D.C. United relish their role as MLS’s chief executive villain; it helps they can run home and cry into their stocked trophy case. Despite being a club in a prolonged transition and measured Renaissance, D.C. and its faithful are proud of their tradition, history, and passionate support. You’ll know the rivalry is real when Washington empties for the trip to the Sand Trap in the Bronx to show the upstart expansion side the MLS old guard’s still got it, and D.C. is the king of the sand lot.”
And while we’re on the topic, it’s entirely possible that NYCFC themselves could in some fashion be EVERYBODY’s rival. Every time they play, the Twitterverse explodes with bile and invective against them – for “buying their way into the league”, for being “the Yankees of MLS”, for “having no soul or heart”, for “being like the rich kid in High School whose Daddy gave them a Lexus on their birthday”. For, you know, being from New York. Never underestimate the possibility of being universally reviled.
All this said, of course, true rivalries are born, fester and metastasize over time and can’t really be manufactured – no matter how hard a front office, a league, a media partner, or even an ambitious columnist tries. A series of make-or-break late season matches, a few highly questionable calls on the pitch, some ill-chosen words to the press (ahem) – and presto, you’ve got some long-term heat. Until then, we’ll just have to wait.
And I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise.
[Special thanks to Russell McKenzie, Alec Rivera, Talon Campbell, Seb Segarra, Alex Barilaro, and Paul Tenorio for being good sports and contributing to this piece. Be sure to read them whenever you get the chance.]
Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
