Monday afternoon’s unveiling of the full MLS regular-season schedule was another significant step on the road to the 2019 campaign, and with it brings the opportunity to analyze some of the challenges awaiting the New England Revolution in the coming year.
As we combed through the Revs’ 34-game slate – which kicks off on March 2 at FC Dallas and returns home on March 9 against Columbus Crew SC – here are some of the more interesting notes we found.
- It’ll be a home-heavy start to the season for the Revs, who’ll play six of their first nine games at Gillette Stadium, including a three-game stand against Eastern Conference foes Atlanta United FC, the New York Red Bulls and the Montreal Impact through the heart of April.
- Last year the Revs opened the season by playing nine of their first 14 games at home, going 6-4-4 in that stretch, including 5-2-2 in Foxborough.
- New England’s only three-game homestand of the season (in mid-April) will immediately be followed by their only three-game road trip of the season, as they’ll visit Sporting Kansas City, the Philadelphia Union, and the Chicago Fire in a 12-day stretch in April/May.
- The Revs will finish the season by playing four of their final six games on the road, wrapping up with a Decision Day trip to visit defending MLS Cup champion Atlanta United FC on October 6.
- New England’s four longest trips of the season are spread throughout the schedule, as they’ll have at least one month between visits to the LA Galaxy (June 1), Colorado Rapids (July 4), Seattle Sounders FC (August 10), and Portland Timbers (September 25).
- That visit to the Portland Timbers, however, is a midweek trip sandwiched between weekend home matches against Real Salt Lake and New York City FC.
- Expansion side FC Cincinnati will visit Gillette Stadium for the first time on Sunday, March 24, while the Revs will make their first-ever trip to the Queen City on Sunday, July 21.
- Second-year side LAFC will make their first-ever visit to Foxborough on Saturday, August 3.
- 14 of the Revolution’s 17 home matches will be on weekends (12 on Saturday, two on Sunday), while their remaining three home games will be on Wednesday evenings.
- Just 12 of the Revolution’s 17 road games will be on weekends (nine on Saturday, three on Sunday), as they’ll play twice on Wednesday, once on Thursday and twice on Friday.
- For supporters who like to travel, some pertinent away trips: at Philadelphia (Saturday, May 4), at Montreal (Friday, May 17), at D.C. United (Friday, July 12), at Cincinnati (Sunday, July 21), at Red Bulls (Saturday, August 17), at NYCFC (Saturday, September 7).
We’ll continue to roll towards the 2019 regular season on Friday afternoon, when MLS SuperDraft 2019 presented by adidas will go down at McCormick Place in Chicago (streaming live at 1 p.m. ET). Revolution preseason camp opens in less than two weeks on Monday, January 21.
