The last time Ian Joy was behind the microphone as color commentator for a New York City FC match, it was October 9, 2022, a Decision Day away win for the club at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
His eight-year run on the YES Network calling NYCFC matches alongside play-by-play partner Joe Tolleson ended when MLS moved their broadcasts to Apple TV for the 2023 season, but Joy made his Apple commentating debut in 2025, and is now set for an even bigger load of MLS match calls in 2026.
That will include Joy's return to New York City commentary, something that was supposed to happen last August 9, only for the Columbus match to be rescheduled due to Citi Field grass problems, and for Joy to miss out on calling a NYCFC game.
Instead, Joy returns to New York City commentary for the club's 2026 home opener, telling Hudson River Blue in a wide-ranging interview held earlier today, "I'm just looking forward to having a special moment back in that booth, calling a game for a club that I care about dearly."
"For me, it's a very emotional moment being back because it's all I've ever wanted to do is call games for New York City Football Club. That's all I've wanted to do since its existence. Managing to do it for as long as I did do was was truly special and a true honor for me," said Joy, who says he'll be "more of a permanent fixture" across Apple's many MLS broadcasts in 2026.
This won't be a one-and-done for Joy on NYCFC matches, either, as he'll also call the club's Matchday 4 meeting with Colorado Rapids next weekend, and hopefully more matches to come this campaign.
Andrew Leigh
Homecomings all around
It's a homecoming for Joy and it comes right as this year's NYCFC squad makes their own homecoming after a long stretch away from the New York area, with preseason preparations taking them from Florida to California, followed by two straight away matches to open the season.
"Especially when it's back-to-back games and you see other teams playing in front of their own fans, you get a bit jealous," said Joy, a former MLS defender himself for Real Salt Lake and Portland Timbers FC. "You're looking for that connection with your supporters because in Major League Soccer, unfortunately, it's been a long period of time since you've actually seen your supporters," Joy continued, a statement extra true for NYCFC, who last played at home on November 1, 2025 in their Eastern Conference Round One series against Charlotte FC.
"I think the players are going to be really looking forward to this game and I think they're looking to put on a show. They want to make sure they entertain. They've got multiple games at home back-to-back, so this is the first of many where you can potentially pick up a lot of points and show to the rest of Major League Soccer exactly how good this team is and to your supporters, get them excited for the season ahead," said Joy.
Thus far, home teams have been dominant across MLS, posting a 21W-5D-4L record through two rounds of matches, something highlighted by Matt Doyle of Tactics Free Zone. Home dominance has been the norm for New York City, and Ian Joy credits the environment at the club's home matches, saying "When you're playing against New York City at Yankee Stadium or at Citi Field in a home game with that support behind them, very quickly you know you're in a big game and you know you're going up against an opponent that is a team."
Joy is high on this year's New York City team, and that's partly due to the all-about-the-team mentality instilled by coach Pascal Jansen. Joy compared the current vibe of this New York City squad to what he experienced around the Real Salt Lake team he was with that would go on to win MLS Cup in 2009, saying "There wasn't a single star in that team, and the coach at that time, former NYCFC boss Jason Kreis, he told us and built into our brains that the team is the star, there is no star in this team, which I absolutely loved. I feel like Pascal is building something very similar."
Joy was around for every New York City coach in the club's history, and he speaks highly of Jansen here in year two of the Dutch manager's tenure. "I don't think it's always been easy. He's had to deal with injuries and transfers in and out of the team. But he's brave enough to make decisions to play the players that he feels are ready to go to win that game, and he's not frightened or under pressure to put out superstar names, or players who are on big salaries into the Starting XI. This guy makes the decisions that he thinks to win football games and that's what I love," said Joy.
Sign a star, unearth another gem?
A frequent topic discussed at a louder and louder volume as the opening of Etihad Park approaches next summer: Should New York City FC sign another big, brand-name star of the soccer world? Ian Joy was there calling New York City's games when they had David Villa, Frank Lampard, and Andrea Pirlo in the fold in 2015 and 2016, but he's of two minds about the need to go back down a similar road either this year or next.
"If you're competitive in Major League Soccer and one of the best, pleasing on the eye-style of teams, the fans are happy, they just want to win. But the executive side of me says, yes, there has to be an appeal for the supporters who are not already NYCFC fans," said Joy.
"I think all of the boxes need to be checked for it to work out. Because as we've learned from past experiences, that superstars don't make a winning team, and I think in Major League Soccer, we have learned that superstars don't always make a winning soccer culture."
One spot on the current NYCFC roster, striker, has an Alonso Martínez-sized hole, a hole being filled so far by a non-natural No 9 in Nico Fernández Mercau. To Joy, the task is clear for the NYCFC attack while playing without a true 9.
"Someone has to step up, someone has to be the goal scorer. If you can share the goals around, that's one way to be able to go about business, but I do believe you need to have someone who's going to be in double figure goals, who's the hot hand, to get far in the playoffs and to obviously get close to MLS Cup," Joy said about the striker situation.
When asked if it reminded him of 2019 when Dome Torrent's New York City team opened the season playing without a true striker until Héber arrived that April, Joy said, "That era that you're talking about, what did we unearth during that era? Taty Castellanos, who was not a striker...this group has the potential to unearth another top talent who can possibly get as close to 15 to 20 goals this season."
The Sandsman at Joy's St. Pauli
A top talent Joy watched develop up-close at NYCFC now plies his trade at another of the commentator's former teams, with James Sands on loan from New York City and now with FC St. Pauli in the German Bundesliga.
Joy made 50 career appearances for St. Pauli, and now says of Sands, "It's pretty special for me to watch the development of a player from the start getting into the first team, a local boy, and then going to my football club, FC St. Pauli, and playing in the Bundesliga."
Joy says he spoke to Sands after he'd made the move to the Hamburg-based club, and that "I gave him a lot of warning there because Hamburg has a lot of distraction that you can easily get carried away with if you're not careful. But he's such a pro, he doesn't need much advice. In my opinion, he's just an ultimate pro, and probably someone that should be battling for a national team spot when it comes to this World Cup."
In Joy's eyes, Sands got himself to the exact right club, with the announcer saying St. Pauli "...fit his style, his playing profile, they're a team that's very similar to NYCFC that he knows. There's no superstar, it's about the team, it's about the chemistry."
The Sands development pathway is one Joy wants to see utilized even more by New York City FC, saying, "Let's unearth the next star, from the youth ranks. Let's go to the next youngster who's coming through. It's not easy because a lot of the youngsters who have been performing are stepping into a culture where winning is expected, but it's a great football club, and one that cares deeply about youth development and giving an opportunity to players who are coming through the ranks."
