FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution will host the club’s first-ever match dedicated to Juneteenth on Sunday, June 19, when the team hosts Minnesota United FC for a 5:00 p.m. ET kickoff at Gillette Stadium. Major League Soccer and all 28 clubs will commemorate the official end of slavery in the United States, while the Revolution will highlight various members of the local Black community including grassroots organizations and social justice and equity leaders throughout the match.
All 28 MLS clubs will wear Juneteenth-inspired numbers on their match jerseys and warm-up “Unity” tops as part of a league-wide recognition in partnership with Black Players for Change (BPC). The special edition jerseys will be auctioned to benefit Man Up of Rhode Island, which provides a broad range of unique workforce development and higher educational opportunities, resources, and support services for formerly incarcerated men of color.
The Revolution will recognize Nicole Jacob, a representative of the North Shore Juneteenth Association, as Sunday’s Hero of the Match. The North Shore Juneteenth Association is a group of community leaders seeking to create awareness about the Juneteenth holiday, educate the broader community about positive aspects of Black American culture, and dismantle racism by using events and programming as a tool for change. Fans can support the NSJA by donating here.
The Boston Arts & Music Soul Festival (BAMS) will have a presence throughout Gillette Stadium on Sunday. Prior to the match, Kasia Lavon, a local artist from BAMS, will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing” – a song originally written as a poem by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson in 1900 and now acknowledged as the Black National Anthem. Lavon will also perform the National Anthem. The concourse will also feature a live art display from BAMS Fest affiliated artist Curtistic, who will produce a 30”x40” painting to be auctioned off in August as part of the club’s Match for C.H.A.NG.E. jersey auction. Click here to learn more about BAMS Fest. In addition, New England’s in-stadium DJ will incorporate local Black artists into the playlist for Sunday’s match and a local dance group from Stajez Cultural Arts Center will perform at halftime.
New England will display the Juneteenth flag throughout the stadium during Sunday’s match. The club will also display informational graphics on Player Collaborative Fund recipient on the videoboard at Gillette Stadium. The Revolution and the Kraft family launched the Players Collaborative Fund in 2021 to support organizations working to create meaningful change in social justice and equity in New England. A committee of Revolution players, including Earl Edwards Jr., President and Co-Founder of Black Players for Change, has donated $120,000 thus far to local grassroots organizations, including the latest award of $20,000, which will be revealed during Sunday’s match.
New England Revolution’s Juneteenth Match
- As part of a league-wide initiative in partnership with Black Players for Change, all 28 MLS clubs will wear Juneteenth-inspired numbers and warm-up tops. New England’s jerseys will be auctioned to benefit Man Up of Rhode Island.
- The North Shore Juneteenth Association will have a representative serve as the club’s Hero of the Match and will be honored in an on-field recognition.
- Kasia Lavon, a local BAMS Fest artist, will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” recognized as the Black National Anthem, prior to the match.
- The concourse will feature a live art display from BAMS Fest affiliated artist Curtistic, set to be auctioned in August.
The 5:00 p.m. ET kickoff on June 19 will be televised locally on WSBK-TV38 and myRITV (Rhode Island), and on the radio via 98.5 The Sports Hub and 1260 AM Nossa Radio. CBS Boston’s exclusive pregame coverage begins with “Revolution Kickoff’ at 4:30 p.m. ET on TV38.
