"(There) won’t be a summer/fall friendly this year. Simply too congested and wanted to give the guys a weekend off." -Indy Eleven team official

INDIANAPOLIS — After scheduling marquee summer friendlies in each of the past two years against Liga MX clubs, the Indy Eleven will not play a mid-season friendly in 2017.

Hat tip to reddit user silkysmoothjay, who posed the question after many supporters had already assumed there wouldn’t be a friendly this year given the lack of an announcement of one. A club official confirmed that’s the case.

The Eleven hosted Monarcas Morelia at Carroll Stadium in 2015, a match that ended in a nil-nil draw.

In 2016, Indy welcomed C.F. Pachuca and pulled off a 1-0 upset as the visitors struggled to adjust to the turf. U.S. national team center back Omar Gonzalez made a cameo, putting in a 45-minute shift for the Tuzos in the first half.

“(There) won’t be a summer/fall friendly this year. Simply too congested and wanted to give the guys a weekend off,” wrote the team official in an email to Soc Takes.

The decision was made largely in part to the new NASL schedule. In previous years, the spring season was only 10 matches followed by a month-long break. Then the fall season resumed with a 22-game slate.

The NASL wised up by switching to a more practical 16 and 16 format this year. Additionally, teams now have just one weekend off in between seasons but receive more rest between matches. For the Eleven, the more spread-out grind of 2017 was enough to nix any plans of cramming in a mid-season friendly.

Indy has one match left to play in the spring, a Saturday evening clash at home against Jacksonville Armada FC, before travelling north to Edmonton for its fall opener July 30.

Update: Per a team official, season ticket holders’ unused bonus tickets will be redeemable for two tickets to any non-playoff match this fall. For example, if you purchased three season tickets, you can get six extra tickets to any fall game of your choice. Contact the Indy Eleven ticketing staff for more information.

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