It’s going to be an insane week of sports across Boston. Here’s a guide.
Red Sox playoffs. Patriots on Sunday Night Football. Celtics season opener. And even the Bruins and Revs.
The next seven days are about to get a bit hectic for Boston-area sports fans.
With the Red Sox advancing in the MLB playoffs and the NBA season starting earlier than ever, Boston is about to witness a rare occurrence in which all five of the area’s major professional sports teams are playing meaningful games during the same week.
The overlap of all five teams’ schedules has only happened once before — in 2013.
That year, the Red Sox won the World Series in Game 6 against St. Louis on Oct. 30, the same day the Celtics opened their season. The New England Patriots and Boston Bruins were already well into their regular seasons at the time, and the New England Revolution had earned a berth into the MLS Playoffs, extending their season into November.
Before that, it had never happened. The MLS began play in 1996 and you may remember that prior to this century the Red Sox didn’t make all that many deep October playoff runs. So it’s a rarity that even three of the four major teams play on the same day.
The five-team overlap could last a while. Unless the Astros knock the Red Sox out of the American League Championship Series in four or five games, it will continue for over a week, if not more.
The Bruins have already changed the time of one of their games due to the crammed schedule. Still, fans will be forced to make some tough decision due to scheduling conflicts.
So change your TV remote batteries, charge your mobile streaming devices, and schedule those delivery orders; with two ALCS games and a high-stakes Sunday Night Football matchup, things gets off to a hot start this weekend.
Saturday
Bruins vs. the Detroit Red Wings
Time: 3 p.m.
TV: NESN
Location: TD Garden
Revolution vs. Orlando City SC
Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: NBC Sports Boston
Location: Gillette Stadium
ALCS Game 1: Red Sox vs. the Houston Astros
Time: 8:09 p.m.
TV: TBS
Location: Fenway Park
Sunday
ALCS Game 2: Red Sox vs. the Houston Astros
Time: 7:09 p.m.
TV: TBS
Location: Fenway Park
Patriots vs. the Kansas City Chiefs
Time: 8:20 p.m.
TV: NBC
Location: Gillette Stadium
Monday
[exhale]
Tuesday
ALCS Game 3: Red Sox at the Houston Astros
Time: 5:09 p.m.
TV: TBS
Location: Minute Park Park in Houston
Celtics (season and home opener) vs. the Philadelphia 76ers
Time: 8 p.m.
TV: TNT
Location: TD Garden
Wednesday
ALCS Game 4: Red Sox at the Houston Astros
Time: 8:39 p.m.
TV: TBS
Location: Minute Maid Park
Bruins at the Calgary Flames
Time: 9:30 p.m.
TV: NBC Sports
Location: Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta
Thursday
ALCS Game 5 (if necessary): Red Sox at the Houston Astros
Time: 8:09 p.m.
TV: TBS
Location: Minute Maid Park
Bruins at the Edmonton Oilers
Time: 9 p.m.
TV: NESN
Location: Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta
Revolution at Real Salt Lake
Time: 9 p.m.
TV: NBC Sports Boston
Location: Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah
Friday
Celtics at the Toronto Raptors
Time: 8 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Location: Scotiabank Arena in Toronto
The following weekend could potentially just as busy.
If necessary, Games 6 and 7 of the ALCS will be played back at Fenway on Saturday, Oct. 20 at 5:09 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 21., at 7:39 p.m.
The Celtics also play at 7 p.m. Saturday night at the New York Knicks, while the Bruins continue their Canadian road trip with a 10 p.m. game against the Vancouver Canucks. The Patriots play Sunday afternoon at the Chicago Bears.
And oh, by the way, the Head of Charles Regatta will also be in town over that weekend.
