The Third Rail is an independent
supporters group
A supporters' group or supporters' club is an independent fan club or campaign group in sport, mostly association football.
Supporters' groups in continental Europe are generally known as ultras, which derives from the Latin word ultrā, mean ...
for
New York City FC of
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...
. It was founded on May 21, 2013, the same day as the expansion club was announced.
The name of the club references the
third rail, which provides power to the
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the government of New York City and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, an affiliate agency of the state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Opened on October 2 ...
.
History
The group began as a loose online association of supporters before organizing its first public meeting in February 2014.
Since then it has organized regular meetings, pub crawls and other events including viewing parties for the
2014 FIFA World Cup
The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's national football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014, after the country was awarded the hosting ri ...
.
Name and logo
The group's name was chosen by a public vote of supporters on May 21, 2014. It refers to the
third rail, which powers New York City's
subway system
Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT), also known as heavy rail or metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. A rapid transit system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be c ...
.
The Third Rail logo was designed by graphic artist Matthew Wolff. It features a raised Art Deco fist holding three lightning bolts, and uses the same typeface and color scheme as New York City FC's logo. When the logo was introduced, New York City FC announced that the MLS club was "powered by the Third Rail".
Supporters section
Members of the Third Rail are eligible to purchase New York City FC season tickets in the group's exclusive area, Sections 236 and 237 of
Yankee Stadium.
References
External links
*
Supporters page on NYCFC.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Third Rail (MLS supporters association)
Major League Soccer fan clubs
New York City FC
2013 establishments in New York City