Crew Season Ticket Members receive first access to 2023 playoff tickets today

COLUMBUS – The Columbus Crew shared information with 2023 and 2024 Season Ticket Members today about receiving the exclusive opportunity to secure their current seats to every home match through the Eastern Conference Finals of the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs. By electing to purchase a playoff strip, Black & Gold Season Ticket Members can guarantee their locations at the best available prices for future postseason matches at Lower.com Field while only being charged when home contests are confirmed through a “Pay As We Play” structure.

After last Wednesday’s 3-0 home victory against Chicago Fire FC and results across MLS, the Crew clinched their first postseason berth since lifting their second MLS Cup in 2020. The Club (14-9-7, 49 points) currently ranks third in the Eastern Conference and is in position to host its first-ever playoff matches at Lower.com Field.

“The first postseason matches at Lower.com Field will offer our players, coaches and fans an electric atmosphere as our supporters have helped us establish an incredible homefield advantage throughout the year,” said President of Business Operations Kristin Bernert. “Our Club will carry that momentum into the playoffs by continuing to elevate the unique matchday experience that celebrates our team, our fans and our city.”

“Our players and coaches love playing at Lower.com Field due to the massive support and energy that our fans provide, and we recognize the competitive edge that creates, which is especially important when facing other top clubs in the postseason,” said President and General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko. “While we accomplished our first goal of reaching the playoffs, we still have plenty of work to do in these final four matches to finish as high on the table as possible to secure additional home matches in front of the league’s best supporters, all with the ultimate goal in mind – win another MLS Cup for the City.”

Crew supporters can still purchase season-ticket packages for the 2024 season and be eligible for early access to 2023 postseason strips.

Single-game playoff tickets for home fixtures will be available to the public on Sunday, Oct. 22, one day after the team’s Decision Day home match against CF Montréal. Crew supporters can also verify their accounts now at www.ColumbusCrew.com/playoffs to be entered into a pool of fans who will receive priority access to a pre-sale on Saturday, Oct. 21 before tickets are accessible to the public.

The Crew look to extend their homefield advantage at Lower.com Field into the postseason. Including Saturday’s match against the Philadelphia Union, the Club has sold out 13 consecutive MLS home games and 14 overall this season, both of which are franchise records.

The Black & Gold lead MLS in home goal differential (+26) and rank second in home goals scored (38). With two games remaining, the Crew’s 11 home wins are tied for the second most during a single season in club annals (12 in 2017), and their 36 points earned in Columbus are only two shy of the best mark in franchise history (38 in 2017, 12-3-2).

Crew Season Ticket Members receive special benefits such as a subscription to Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass; invitations to exclusive, member-only events; a discount at the Crew Shop; monthly, interest free payment plans; the ability to purchase discounted parking; pre-sale access to non-soccer events at Lower.com Field, Historic Crew Stadium and Cleveland Browns Stadium; and a dedicated account manager and service representative. Fans interested in more information on Season Ticket Memberships are encouraged to call 614-447-2739, email seasontickets@columbuscrew.com, or visit www.columbuscrew.com/tickets/memberships to get connected with a Season Ticket Member representative.

The MLS introduced a new playoff format in 2023 with nine clubs from each conference advancing to the postseason. After the single-elimination Wild Card matches between the No. 8-9 seeds on Oct. 25-26, the top-four finishers from each conference are guaranteed homefield advantage in the Round One best-of-three series.

Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Schedule

• Wild Card matches: Oct. 25-26
• Round One Best-of-Three series matches: Oct. 28-Nov. 12
• Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals: Nov. 25-Dec. 3
• MLS Cup presented by Audi: Dec. 9.

Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Format

Qualification:

• Seeds No. 1-7 in each conference will automatically qualify for the Round One Best-of-3 series.
• Seeds No. 8-9 in each conference will qualify for the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card matches.

Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Wild Card Matches:

• Conference Wild Card Matches: No. 8 vs. No. 9
• Two single-game elimination matches hosted by the higher seed.
• If the score of a Wild Card game is tied at the end of regulation, no extra time will be played, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.
• The winner of each Wild Card match will advance to the Round One Best-of-3 series to face the conference No. 1 seed.

Round One Best-of-3 Series:

• Conference Round One Best-of-Three Series
  • No. 1 vs. No. 8 or 9
  • No. 2 vs. No. 7
  • No. 3 vs. No. 6
  • No. 4 vs. No. 5

• Every Round One game will have a winner; no ties, no aggregate score.
• Matches will be hosted in a home-away-home format:
  • Match 1: Higher seed hosts
  • Match 2: Lower seed hosts
  • Match 3: Higher seed hosts
• If a match is tied at the end of regulation, no extra time will be played, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.
• The first team to win two matches will advance.

Conference Semifinals

• Winner of No. 1 vs. No. 8/9 series vs. winner of No. 4 vs. No. 5 series
• Winner of No. 3 vs. No. 6 series vs. winner of No. 2 vs. No. 7 series

• Single-game elimination matches, hosted by the higher seed.
• If the score of a Conference Semifinal game is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety. If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra time periods, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.

Conference Final

• Highest advancing seed hosting lowest advancing seed
• Single-elimination match hosted by the higher seed.

• If the score of a Conference Final game is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety. If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra time periods, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.

MLS Cup presented by Audi

• A single match hosted by the higher seed.
• If the score of the game is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety. If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra time periods, teams will participate in kicks from the penalty spot to determine the winner.