NYCFC news roundup: Kids Night, Alonso Martínez, and more

It would not be shocking if New York City FC fans were still thinking about the draw with Chicago Fire FC a few days later. It was not a good result, for they gave up the 2-0 lead and were at home. The draw felt like a loss.

Alas, there were some good stories from the match. In addition, other newsworthy items can be discussed. So, here is the next NYCFC news roundup.

NYCFC news roundup: Kids Night, Matt Freese, and more

NYCFC celebrates Kids Night

During Saturday's game, NYCFC hosted the first-ever Kids Night at Citi Field. The club celebrated the younger fans with events before the match. The team also utilized the kids' art for their social media posts, including pictures of players.

Moreover, some of the kids took over some of the jobs at the stadium, like photography. Of course, they did not truly do so, but they were able to participate and have some unique experiences.

NYCFC shared some lovely photos of the evening. It cannot be confirmed, but it appears there was a higher number of kids who were there to watch the team.

Alonso Martínez was named to the Team of the Matchday

After his brace in the 2-2 draw against Chicago Fire FC, Alonso Martínez was named to the Team of the Matchday. He was on the bench, which is likely due to the fact NYCFC could not hold on to the lead.

If they did hold on, and he was on the bench, then that would have been a poor move by Major League Soccer to not put him in the main Team of the Matchday. Alas, that is not something anyone had to worry about, for being named on the bench based on the result was the correct move.

Matt Freese is now a part of the MLSPA Executive Board

On Monday, it was announced that NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese was elected to the MLSPA Executive Board. He joins Alex Bono as the two new players on the board, which has nine players to represent the Players Association.

Freese will be a part of a leadership team that represents the needs and wants of MLS players. They will be the voice of everyone in the league. They can bring concerns to the MLS front office and ensure players are compensated properly as the league continues to grow.

Mitja Ilenič is back with Slovenia's U-21 team

Mitja Ilenič will be away on national team duty when he suits up for Slovenia's U-21 team. The right-back was called up for the games in the next international window. He will face France and Cyprus.

The 19-year-old will not miss any games, for NYCFC will not play during the window. This gives Ilenič a chance to play more minutes since Tayvon Gray has been starting most of the matches as of late.