It is officially official: Gotham FC is moving to Etihad Park in 2028

Over the last few months, there have been reports about NJ/NY Gotham FC moving to Queens in the future. Etihad Park, the future home of New York City FC, is set to open in 2027, and the move made a lot of sense. Attendance has been difficult to grow at Sports Illustrated Stadium, whereas there is a belief that more people would attend games in the city.

So, on Tuesday morning, the club made the official announcement. Gotham FC will move to Etihad Park in 2028. This means that next year will be the final year of the Bats playing in New Jersey. Of course, the team is not leaving New Jersey fully, for the training center will be there.

In other words, Gotham will continue to invest in both states, continuing to represent the tri-state area. But for many fans, although likely not all, moving to Etihad Park is the best news. Many arguments support the change in stadium venues, and even here at Skyscraper Blues, it was thought that the Bats should move permanently to Queens.

Gotham FC is moving to Queens

Moreover, the number of tickets sold for the Queens Classic, which will take place next week, supports the idea that attendance can be better for Gotham. There are about 30,000 tickets sold for the match at Citi Field, which is something that seemed impossible to occur at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Of course, fans would not show up in those numbers at Etihad Park, for this is a special event and the stadium will not have 30,000 seats.

However, that probably produces hope that the club's attendance can increase. In addition, many would make the argument that it is easier to get to Citi Field in Queens compared to going to Harrison, New Jersey. Etihad Park will be across the street, so travel should be easier, especially with the trains and subways.

Yes, there will be some fans who will not like this move, especially those who are closer to Sports Illustrated Stadium. But there were always going to be some who were happy and others who were not happy about the decision.

But think about the move from a marketing standpoint. It is easier to market in the Big Apple compared to New Jersey. If fans see some good prices for a game, then they are more likely to attend if the stadium is in the city.

Meanwhile, it looks like NYCFC and Gotham are creating a partnership. This makes it easy to assume that the Pigeons are choosing not to start their own women's team, and will instead work with the NJ/NY side. Perhaps this can open up the idea of combining the NYCFC girls' academy with the Bats. This is something both teams should maybe explore.

Still, based on the announcement, there is no doubt that there is a partnership brewing. Per the club, this "agreement manifests a shared vision between Gotham FC and New York City FC to establish New York as a home of world-class professional soccer."

"For Gotham FC, it marks another defining step in building one of the world’s leading women’s clubs following its first continental title, second NWSL championship in three seasons and plans for the club’s first dedicated training facility in Whippany, New Jersey. It also highlights Gotham FC’s commitment to elite environments and accessible fan experiences, with Etihad Park connecting the club to more than 3 million additional people within a 75-minute commute via MTA bus and subway and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR)."

More importantly, Gotham FC will not be mere tenants. Rather, the club will have "custom spaces for Gotham FC, including the team’s own locker room and club merchandise positions in the New York City FC team store." Plus, "Etihad Park’s state-of-the-art LED signage and digital videoboards throughout the bowl and concourses will create a matchday that is unmistakably and exclusively Gotham FC’s own, with high-impact branding opportunities for Gotham FC and its partners."

In complete honesty, the NJ/NY club does not have that at Sports Illustrated Stadium. They have to put up their own signage, and the stadium still does not feel like a home. In this case, Etihad Park can become that home.

Gotham FC made the right decision, and the smart one, to move to Queens. But fear not, for those who are not thrilled with the plan, for the Bats still have the rest of this season and the 2027 campaign in New Jersey.

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