The Red Bulls’ Eastern Conference playoff series against D.C. United has been rescheduled due to the impact of Hurricane Sandy, with the home and road legs being flip-flopped.
Instead of being hosts for the first leg, the Red Bulls will go to Washington and play at RFK Stadium on Saturday at 8 p.m. As a result, the two teams are slated to meet at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., on Wednesday at 8 p.m., though that could also be subject to change. Both games will be televised live on NBC Sports.
“This is a decision that was made in the last hour-and-a-half as we worked with both clubs to try to find a solution that was in the best interest of [everybody],’’ said MLS commissioner Don Garber. “Hurricane Sandy is an epic and unprecedented natural disaster that continues to affect all of us.
“This was a tough decision, but one we think is bigger than the sport of soccer. When we made the decision, we took into consideration all the issues, and made the decision we feel is in the best interest of all the parties.’’
Red Bulls GM Jérôme de Bontin said, with the PATH still down, they are exploring ways to help their fans reach the game. Meanwhile, MLS and the Red Bulls are exploring contingency plans should Red Bull Arena still not be usable.
“Clearly the safety of our fans and our visitors coming to Red Bull Arena take ultimate precedence. We thought at the end of the day it’s in all parties best interests,’’ said de Bontin, who added Red Bull Arena wasn’t flooded but could be without power through the weekend. “The water never made it to the field. We uncovered the field yesterday, and the field is in perfect shape.
“Water came all the way to the building, but never had water in the building. We lost power at 7 p,m. on Monday. We were first told it could take five to seven days to get power in Harrison. I’ve been in touch with the mayor of Harrison; yesterday we were told with assurances it could be Monday, and we did get some power back for a few hours. We’re quite confident by Monday [we’ll have power].’’