Ughhhh, is it iced coffee weather yet? It’s no secret that we New Yorkers aren’t blessed with a great climate. Winter = grey snow piles for days. Spring = rain, like we’ve had all week. Summer = sweat, gross smells, and sometimes you can fry an egg on the sidewalk. So what are outdoor sport-loving folks to do when NYC weather is THE WORST? Hit up The Pitch, NYC’s only indoor soccer-focused space, which just opened a few months ago in Williamsburg.
Despite being comprised almost entirely of, obviously, a soccer pitch, The Pitch’s light-filled former industrial warehouse space is actually pretty versatile, hosting everything from co-ed leagues to kids parties to corporate cornhole-playing team-building workshops (apparently that’s a thing. Unnamed Big Tech Company, I’m looking at you). In a few weeks they’re going to start showing games on a big projection screen—first up: Real Madrid versus Athletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League finals on May 28. So you can watch a pro soccer game from the soccer field. How meta.
The surface of the pitch itself isn’t astroturf in the sense that it’s not just a flat sheet of fake grass. The Pitch’s field is comprised of lots of tiny rubber pellets underneath a grass-like surface. So it’s kind of spongy, emulating the feel of real soil. Sometimes indoor playing fields are simply hard gym floor surfaces—but this turf is used by pro teams so it’s definitely legit.
Most likely you won’t find David Beckham here, but something tells me that this being Williamsburg, playing a pickup game might be a good scenario in which to actually pick someone up. Maybe you’re tired of virtual dating gameplay on Tinder. A game of soccer offers close real-life contact, and of course the exchange of those sweaty pheromones; you can check out people’s moves and show off your own physical prowess under the guise of friendly competition. The odds are in your favor especially if you follow the game up with drinks at Berry Park (4 Berry Street). The Pitch has a semi-secret passageway that leads straight into the bar, so you can convene there right after your match and keep taking shot after shot. Gooooooaaaal!
The Pitch is located at 196 N 14th Street.