Bilan Bilello predicted it on Tuesday, and on Saturday morning it came true.
Ticket sales for Saturday's Eastern Conference Championship second leg between the New England Revolution and the New York Red Bulls (3 pm ET, NBCSN) topped 30,000 in the hours leading up to the clash at Gillette Stadium, a milestone the Revs' president proudly announced on Twitter.
A strong walkup crowd could push the gate up even further. But regardless of the final numbers, the occasion has already blown away the club's official attendance record for a playoff match, the 20,184 who attended the second leg of this year's Eastern Conference Semifinals series against Columbus Crew SC on November 9.
New England saw 60,500 fans flock to Gillette for the 2002 MLS Cup final between the Revs and the LA Galaxy, but that was not technically a home match, as MLS Cup finals were held at predetermined sites until 2012.
Revolution fans don't get all the credit for Saturday's massive match. Hundreds of the Red Bulls faithful have trekked up I-95 to support the visitors as they seek to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg, much like Revs supporters traveled in numbers to Leg 1 at Red Bull Arena on Nov. 23.
