York9 FC announced Tuesday the club will play its 2019 inaugural season of Canadian Premier League play at York Lions Stadium.
“It’s exciting for the players,” said York9 FC coach Jimmy Brennan, whose squad convened this month for the start of Canadian Premier League training camps. “You want to play your games in a true modern stadium atmosphere, with the added bonus that we get to start this club playing properly on soccer-specific grass.”
In addition to creating a great soccer-viewing experience for fans, the periphery niceties, including a sizeable craft beer and food truck selection, will be a big part of creating an outstanding matchday for York9 supporters.
“We’re creating a small craft beer festival every game for people to enjoy,” said Preben Ganzhorn, president and CEO, York9 FC. “We think it will be appealing to the university crowd and all sports enthusiasts within York Region. We want to create something that speaks to that millennial but also is relevant to the true soccer fan. It’s about creating the combination of an inviting environment, where there’s something for everybody, and developing something special on the pitch in a way that’s authentic in order to create good football viewing.”
"York9 FC is pleased to announce that we will be playing our 2019 Inaugural Season at York Lions Stadium. ?
Full story: https://t.co/eWRDiJgaNh | #York9FC #CanPL#YorkReady" pic.twitter.com/ejniZ63v2q
— York9 FC (@York9FC) March 19, 2019
Additionally, the north supporters end will now feature a multi-tiered, safe standing area to create a true football atmosphere for the club’s loudest supporters. This decision was made after consultation with supporter groups and researching other top-flight stadiums around the world.
York9 FC opens its 2019 inaugural season home slate with a Canadian Championship matchup against AS Blainville on May 22. The club will host 905 Derby rival Forge FC three days later on May 25 for their CPL home opener.