Take a Sporting Trip Around New York City
If you happen to be a sports fan, then there are certain cities which have an additional cachet that others can’t quite match. Soccer fans can travel the world taking in matches at iconic stadia on every continent, from the dizzying heights of Barcelona’s Nou Camp to the deafening atmosphere at the Azteca in Mexico City. For every other sport, there is a similar tale, but few cities are as deep in the sporting pantheon as New York. With at least one team in each of America’s four main sports, and more besides, the Big Apple is a must-see opportunity for anyone who loves team games.
From the moment you check in at The Marmara Luxury Hotel and shake off your travel lethargy, it is possible to book an itinerary that takes you to a different venue every night for a week. Below, we’ll look at the teams you can see and the stadia you can tick off your bucket list, and have a quick look at whether you’re likely to be sharing in the joy with the locals after a win, or commiserating after a largely expected defeat.
Football: Double your pleasure
New York is home to two iconic football teams, although if the truth is told their home stadium is across the state line in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants and the Jets share MetLife Stadium, and in recent years that’s not all they’ve shared. Both teams have for the last few years been most notable for underperforming, but the Giants are showing signs of resurgence having reached the playoffs in 2022 for the first time in six years. The Jets have been absent from the postseason for over a decade, but the arrival of superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers is the latest in a string of moves that have seen the performance level gradually improve.
Baseball: A rivalry like few others
Most sporting rivalries are built up over time by teams facing off in high-stakes battles, but the New York baseball community has managed to build up a lot of antipathy between two clubs who, before 1997, barely ever played against one another. The Mets, considered to be the blue-bloods’ club, are creeping closer to matching their heyday of the 1980s. The working class choice, the Yankees are a record-holding dynasty club, but haven’t added to their impressive 27 World Series titles since 2009. However, both clubs are deemed to be contenders in 2023. The teams also now face off annually in the regular season, in what is dubbed the Subway Series.
Basketball, Hockey and Soccer: Not just alternative sports
While football and baseball dominate the sports pages in New York, the city has major league teams in basketball, hockey and soccer too. The New York Knicks are some way off being as competitive as they used to be, while the Brooklyn Nets made the playoffs this year only to be swept by the Philadelphia 76ers. In hockey, the Rangers and Islanders fly the flag for Manhattan and Long Island and both made the playoffs in 2023 only to be eliminated right away. In the MLS meanwhile, iconic derby games between New York City and the New York Red Bulls have featured international stars like Andrea Pirlo, Thierry Henry and Frank Lampard. City won the MLS Cup in 2021, while the Bulls never have.
