If you're a die-hard Boston sports fan who wants to witness history, write this date down: April 27, 2024.
Major League Soccer released its 2024 regular season schedule Wednesday, and April 27 is when Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will visit Gillette Stadium to face the New England Revolution.
The Revs hosted Miami just before Messi signed with the club last June, so that April 27 match -- set for 7:30 p.m. ET -- will mark the soccer superstar's first trip to New England as an MLS player.
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Pretty cool, right? Turns out it's only part of what could be an incredibly eventful sports day in New England.
About 20 miles north of Foxboro, the Boston Red Sox will host the Chicago Cubs at 4:10 p.m. ET on April 27 as part of a three-game series at Fenway Park. It's the Cubs' only trip to Fenway in 2024, and any game between two of baseball's most iconic franchises should have plenty of juice, regardless of their records.
If you're looking for higher stakes, consider this: Both the Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins could have series-deciding playoff games that day, as well.
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The Celtics clinched their first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks on April 27 last season, earning a 128-120 win in Game 6 that night in Atlanta. The Bruins, meanwhile, hosted Game 5 of their first-round series against the Florida Panthers on April 26, then played Game 6 on April 28.
Both the Celtics and Bruins are heavy favorites to at least reach the playoffs -- the C's own the NBA's second-best record, while the B's are second in the NHL's Eastern Conference -- so the weekend of April 27, 2024, could see both teams in action, potentially in elimination games of their first-round playoff series. (The Celtics and Bruins share TD Garden, so if they play on the same day, one game would need to be on the road.)
That's as many as four high-profile games in one day. But here's the kicker: The New England Patriots might be the busiest team in the region that day.
April 27 is also Day 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft, featuring Rounds 4-7. While the event itself isn't local -- the draft is in Detroit -- it will be incredibly important for the Patriots, who are in line to have a top-three pick amid their worst season in over two decades. New England historically has been very active on Day 3 of the draft and took nine players on the last day of the 2023 draft.
To recap, here are the Boston sports-related events that will or might take place in New England on April 27, 2024:
- Revolution vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium
- Red Sox vs. Chicago Cubs, 4:10 p.m. ET at Fenway Park
- Potential Celtics first-round playoff game
- Potential Bruins first-round playoff game
- Day 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft
Add in the fact that April 27 is a Saturday, and it's looking like an early candidate for best Boston sports day of 2024.