What's new with the '23 Crew

If December's World Cup gave you soccer fever, the cure is Saturday's Columbus Crew season opener in Philadelphia.

• Here's a primer to get you up to speed on the 2023 season:

Catch up quick: The Crew followed its 2020 championship with a pair of disappointing, playoff-less seasons.

What we're hearing: Team fanatics tell Axios there's reason for optimism heading into the Crew's first full season with star striker Cucho Hernández.

What's new for 2023:

⚽ Head coach Wilfried Nancy. He's expected to bring fresh lineup schemes after coaching CF Montréal for two seasons.

🎟 Extra premium seating. Lower.com Field added a new party deck above the Nordecke fan section along with new seating boxes that include an all-inclusive food and beverage package.

• The stadium also added craft beer vendors Garage Beer, Wolf's Ridge and Zaftig.

🎵 Goal celebration music. The song is TBD … a fan vote will decide.

🏆 An updated MLS playoff format. Let's not jinx it, but hopefully Columbus gets a taste of the new schedule this fall.

📺 TV broadcasts. All MLS games, including the Crew, will be streamed on Apple TV in English and Spanish.

• The cost is $13–15 per month or $79–99 for the season, depending on whether you're already an Apple TV+ subscriber.

Looking ahead: Tickets are still available for the March 4 home opener against D.C. United, starting at $36.

• The "Hell is Real" rivalry against FC Cincinnati continues Aug. 20.

Quote du jour: "Joy. More joy. ... If we train and if we do our job with joy, they're going to be able to be better, quickly, and with less pressure, with less anxiety and everything," Wilfried Nancy to the Dispatch, describing the highlight of his first few months with the team.