New York City FC is celebrating their 10th season in Major League Soccer and the Hudson River Derby between them and the New York Red Bulls has taken several twists over the years. Now, with playoff implications hanging on the line, we look back at what it was like when City first came into the league in 2015 with renown author and journalist Michael Lewis:
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AJM Sports: When NYCFC came into the equation, what was your thought about MLS introducing a second team into the Metro Area?
Michael Lewis: “I welcomed it. I thought a team in the east side of the Hudson River should have been done years ago. I understand all the problems that there were but the number one thing was finding the appropriate stadium but so we can go three hours on baseball stadiums and Fordham University but getting a team on this side was important.
For someone who has been covering this sport forever and understanding what rivalries mean… Metrostars/DC United that’s great but it’s so many miles away. Here you have something that’s 15 miles apart but I welcomed it. There’s nothing like a rivalry game.
Although I knew it would take a little while to turn into a good one but there were some interesting game early on.”
New York Red Bulls dominated the early days of the Hudson River Derby with players like Sacha Kljestan and Bradley Wright-Phillips leading the way to establish a sense of territorial angst between the clubs. City, to their credit, provided the name recognition with the likes of Frank Lambard, Andrea Pirlo and David Villa. As the years have progressed, both teams have embraced a far more conservative approach, developing young talent and finding success beyond the stereotypical need for players past their prime.
For Red Bull that came with an emphasis on player development that saw the likes of Tyler Adams, Aaron Long and others see their way into international prominence. For NYCFC, it was scouting that saw the likes of Jack Harrison, Valentin Castellanos and others use the team as a stepping stone to prominence overseas.
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AJM Sports: What were your thoughts on the reveal of NYCFC and how they mirrored Manchester City given the criticism of Red Bull and how they branded their teams?
Michael Lewis: “I had mixed emotions. I hoped for an American ownership but then again, we’re so used to having American owning Premier League teams and in other countries as well that it’s changed over the years in terms of normalcy.
I know fans have called NYCFC their (Manchester City) their farm team here but Red Bull has a similar thing too different teams around the world. It’s sort of like an empire for these teams.”
That branding, while controversial, has been a badge of honor for both teams as they have greatly benfited from that arrangement. Other than players going back and forth, the clubs have garnered praise in a multi-club system which was once considered a cancer to the game, is now the norm with ownerships claiming multiple clubs both in the US and in other countries.
For City and Red Bull, the Hudson River Derby has provided a conduit of how both clubs aspire to proceed in the current soccer landscape, while also providing local fans the rivalry that we see in other American sports.
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AJM Sports: Given the success of New York Red Bulls in those early years, what was your recollection of how they differed during that time?
Michael Lewis: “They were definitely the dominant teams. They won the first three matches in 2015. The Red Bulls, early on, had a chip on their shoulder. ‘We’ll show them.’ NYC will have all these big stars but it’s about playing as a team and that’s what the Red Bulls did. They had a talented team back then. You’re talking about BWP, Dax McCarty, Luis Robles, Sacha Kljestan in the midfield. You’re talking about good up the middle. They had a very, very, good team back then.”
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Since then NYCFC have grown into themselves and in some major ways, surpassed the Red Bulls. 2021 acts as the highest form of that when the club lifted MLS Cup over Portland Timbers. It was City’s first appearance in the final and, as years have passed, Red Bulls have had their shots at changing that narrative but have failed to accomplish the ultimate task.
AJM Sports: How important was it for NYCFC to have that MLS Cup over New York Red Bulls, the bigger brother, and have that hanging over them as part of the rivalry?
Michael Lewis: “Jesse Marsh said at a point: You need some big plays or controversies for it to become a rivalry. The 2021 MLS Cup did give NYCFC a leg-up on the Red Bull fans: ‘Look what we did in a short period of time and you haven’t done that.’
Yes Red Bulls have reached the MLS Cup twice in 30 years but they’ve teased and disappointed their supporters. I give them a lot of credit but take it from someone who is a New York Rangers fan for so many years, it is a leg-up on the other team. They’re going to keep reminding the Red Bulls about it until they have an MLS Cup.”
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Special thanks to Michael Lewis who helped share his insight on the Hudson River Derby. His work can be found at frontrowsoccer.com as he continues to cover the beautiful game not just locally but also across the globe.
New York Red Bulls and NYCFC will play their final Hudson River Derby on Saturday night, with heavy implications on the playoff race, particularly for Red Bulls as they looks to continue their playoff streak of 15 years should they win over their rivals at SI Stadium.
photo by Matt Kremkau