NYCFC and the Columbus Crew will not play Saturday as game is postponed | OneFootball

New York City FC fans who were planning to attend Saturday's game against the Columbus Crew will have to make other plans. The club announced that the match had been postponed. It will be rescheduled for Wednesday, September 17. That means the Pigeons will have to wait to try and rebound after the Leagues Cup loss against Deportivo Toluca FC.

NYCFC will not play a game this weekend

This announcement was unexpected, but NYCFC revealed the reason why the game had to be moved. Per the club, the fixture could not be played this weekend because "required field maintenance at Citi Field" is needed.

"Following a high volume of events at Citi Field and the intense heat and weather conditions in New York City, the stadium’s grass sustained considerable wear and tear in recent weeks. To ensure the best and safest playing surface for all athletes, the field has been resodded. As a result, only baseball events are permitted at Citi Field for a minimum of three weeks while the field fully recovers."

In complete honesty, some teams might have played regardless of the playing surface. Soccer fans of CONCACAF teams know this all too well after men's and women's national teams have played on poor surfaces here and there.

Hence, it is good that NYCFC took action to protect the players from both teams. It is also good that the Crew agreed to the postponement. Neither team would want to risk anyone's health, especially in the final part of the season. There is a lot on the line for both sides. The Pigeons want to try to climb the table in the Eastern Conference and guarantee a playoff spot. Then, Columbus still has a chance for the Supporters' Shield since the team is six points behind the league leaders, the Philadelphia Union.

Notably, the rescheduled game will take place at Yankee Stadium. At the same time, since NYCFC will play on September 17, the match against Charlotte FC that was scheduled for Friday, September 19, has been moved to Saturday, September 20. That game will stay at Yankee Stadium.

Of course, this is not ideal for the Boys in Blue. But sometimes things happen beyond anyone's control. Plus, safety is more important than convenience. Nevertheless, there is the question of why the New York Mets allowed the field conditions to get so bad. Why was the team and Citi Field not proactive in protecting the field?