Speaking on the Soccer in the City podcast published this week, New York City FC president Jon Patricof gave some insight into the club's search for a permanent home.
Among other things, he revealed that NYCFC has had a full-time employee dedicated solely to the search for a stadium site base in New York since the beginning of the year.
"In January of this year we brought over someone who’s worked at City Football Group for many years who is our chief infrastructure officer to be based out of our New York offices," Patricof said. "He works day in, day out, specifically on that. And I’m involved as well. We have multiple sites right now that are under consideration. … Some involve public processes. Some are private. And it’s, I think, going as well, and we’re as far along in terms of progress as we’ve been, certainly since I’ve been here over the last 18 months."
New York City FC have shared Yankee Stadium with MLB's New York Yankees since they joined the league (the Yankees are part-owners in the MLS club). For the first time in their three seasons in the Bronx, a conflict has led to the club scheduling a Sept. 23 home match against the Houston Dynamo in East Hartford, Conn.
"I wouldn’t say it [the rescheduling] changes anything we’ve been doing [in the search for a stadium site], because the level of dedication and seriousness and dedication has been exactly the same and it’s remaining exactly the same," Patricof said. "Does it change the dialogue and my need to talk a little bit more actively about it? Yeah, I think that’s the case."
Patricof said the search for a suitable site has been continuous since before his arrival at the club. He estimated that 35 sites have been under potential consideration at one point.
"It’s been a very, very active process since the beginning," he said.
