COLUMBUS — Columbus Crew SC opens its 2019 Major League Soccer season on Saturday, March 2 and today announced that the Club will hold several events throughout Columbus leading up to the match as part of Black & Gold Week. These events include a dinner at the Ronald McDonald House, a Season Kickoff Party, Media Day and Crewsmas Eve, with the activities leading up to Opening Match at MAPFRE Stadium when Crew SC takes on the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, March 2 at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Black & Gold Week kicks off on Monday, February 25 at 5:30 p.m. ET, with Crew SC players and staff scheduled to serve dinner for local families at the Ronald McDonald House of Central Ohio (711 E. Livingston Ave. Columbus, OH 43205), as part of Crew SC's Give Forward initiative, presented by MAPFRE Insurance.

The next day, on Tuesday, the Crew are hosting the 2019 Season Kickoff Party at 6:00 p.m. ET at The Bluestone (583 E Broad St, Columbus, OH 43215). The Season Kickoff Party is a private event for Season Ticket Members, which will include the introduction of the entire Crew SC First Team, including coaching staff and President Tim Bezbatchenko. All First Team players will then interact with supporters in attendance at the Season Kickoff Party.

On Wednesday Crew SC will set up a pop-up shop at The Ohio State University’s Ohio Union (1739 N High St, Columbus, OH 43210) from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET, which will have Crew SC official merchandise available for sale. The Crew are also set to host their annual Media Day on Wednesday at Eakin Elementary School (3774 Eakin Rd, Columbus, OH 43228). Media Day starts at 2:00 p.m. ET and begins with a special community announcement from Investor-Operators Dee Haslam and Pete Edwards. A press conference is set to follow with President Tim Bezbatchenko, Head Coach Caleb Porter as well as select players with additional media availability afterward.

The Crew are set to appear at North Market (59 Spruce St, Columbus, OH 43215) on Thursday and Friday at 11:30 a.m. ET with a pop-up shop on-site that will have Crew SC official merchandise and tickets available for sale.

Black & Gold Week continues on Friday, with Crew SC is encouraging supporters to wear their Crew SC apparel for Black & Gold Friday. The Crew’s pop-up shop returns to North Market at 11:30 a.m. ET on Friday, with merchandise and tickets available for sale. That evening, Crew SC supporters are encouraged to attend the Crewsmas Eve Party at various supporter bars throughout Columbus to celebrate the Crew’s first regular-season match of 2019.

Finally, on Saturday, March 2, Crew SC hosts the New York Red Bulls at MAPFRE Stadium for Opening Match. The match is set to kickoff at 4:30 p.m. ET and supporters in attendance will receive a replica Captain’s armband, similar to the one Black & Gold Captain Will Trapp will wear during the match.

2019 Season Ticket Memberships are now on sale with additional information available via ColumbusCrewSC.com. Individual Match tickets – which include matches through the month of June – are now also available for sale online at ColumbusCrewSC.com as well as Partial Plans and 4 Plus Plans, which include Opening Match and any regular-season match.