Bay Fc vs Denver Summit FC: How to watch the expansion club’s first game and what it signals for the season
Denver Summit FC opens its inaugural season Saturday with an away match against bay fc in San Jose, launching a new era for the expansion club while fans navigate a fragmented viewing landscape and a complicated first-year home schedule.
Bay Fc opener: time, TV details, and where fans can watch together
Denver Summit FC’s first professional match is set for Saturday in San Jose, where it will face bay fc. The match is scheduled for 4: 30 p. m. MT.
The broadcast will air on ION, a Scripps-owned channel available across multiple streaming options. ION is free on services such as Tubi and Freevee, and it can also be accessed with a television antenna.
Most Summit games this season are set to air on ION. Some matches will also stream on NWSL+ and Victory+, both described as free streaming services. Other games will require paid access through either a cable package or multiple streaming subscriptions, with matches slated for Amazon Prime Video, CBS/Paramount+ and.
In Denver, multiple watch events are planned. The team’s official watch party will be held at Stoney’s Bar & Grill on Lincoln Street, with team representatives handing out swag beginning at 2: 30 p. m. The 14ers, the club’s official supporters group, is hosting a separate watch party at Number Thirty Eight in Five Points. Unofficial gatherings include a screening on McGregor Square’s 66-foot LED screen and an event at the 99ers Sports Bar, described as a women’s athletics bar.
Why this debut matters: new faces, new ownership goals, and early expectations
Saturday’s opener also marks the professional debut of Stanford midfielder Jasmine Aikey, who signed with Denver Summit FC in January. Aikey called the moment part of the appeal of joining an expansion side.
“It’s an honor to be a part of something new that you’re building from the ground up, ” Aikey said. “You can say, like, ‘I’ve been here from the beginning. ’ I think we have a really good setup from our owners, our staff and vets and the rookies we have coming in. ”
Aikey added: “It’s been a really fun first few weeks, and I can see that we’re trending in the right direction. I’m really excited, and I think the people of Denver will be, too. ”
Aikey arrives after a standout final season at Stanford. In January, she won the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy. Her season included leading the nation in points, ranking third in goals and tying for second in game-winning goals (seven). She was named MVP of the ACC women’s soccer championship tournament after helping Stanford win the title. She also graduated in December with a 3. 97 GPA.
Stanford head coach Paul Ratcliffe praised her impact, saying: “She’s a game changer. She wins games for you with her free-kick ability — just with her presence. The bigger the game, the bigger the performance from Jazzy. ”
Behind the scenes, Denver Summit FC is led by governor and controlling owner Rob Cohen, the chairman and CEO of IMA Financial Group. Cohen described how his focus shifted toward bringing a women’s professional team to Denver after his involvement around major sports investment discussions and after attending a U. S. women’s Olympic team match watch party in August 2023.
“It dawned on me quickly that the reason I was interested in the Broncos deal is because it’s my town, ” Cohen said. “It’s our team. It’s our community. And then I started putting these pieces together and thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we brought a woman’s professional team to town?’ And instead of being a limited partner, I could potentially be the general partner. ”
Cohen also recalled the crowd he saw at that first watch party: “But when I walked in, it was packed. And every TV was on the USWNT game. There were women, men and kids in there. ” He added: “From there, I decided, ‘This is a hot wire. ’ And from then on, I moved completely over from the WNBA, and it was all about the NWSL. ”
What happens next for Denver Summit FC after the season opener
After the opening trip to face bay fc, Denver Summit FC’s early season will be shaped by a shifting home-field setup. Delays in building the club’s temporary stadium in Centennial mean the team expects to play home matches in three different venues during its first season.
The first home match is scheduled for March 28 at Empower Field at Mile High. Later home games are slated for Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, followed by a move to the new temporary stadium in Centennial once it is ready.
The club says it has sold more than 50, 000 tickets for the March 28 home debut, with tickets available starting at $25 for upper-deck seats. The team is not expected to play in its permanent home—planned as a new stadium in Denver’s Baker neighborhood—until 2028.
On the field, the opener arrives after a preseason that included two friendly wins at the Coachella Valley Invitational. Looking ahead, the club is also awaiting the summer arrival of U. S. Women’s National Team captain and Colorado local Lindsey Heaps—an addition that could change the team’s trajectory later in the season.
For now, the first test comes Saturday in San Jose, where the expansion club’s first official match will set the tone for a season that is new in nearly every way: new roster, new routines, and a fanbase learning how—and where—to follow every game.
