Copy Edited by Ramon Rivera III
In the city with the most major league franchises in the United States (eleven professional teams total), New York is home to a rich and complicated sports history, with just about every New Yorker possessing personal ties to a team of their own. Just how did our city’s sports landscape become this complicated? How did we end up with two teams for just about every sport? Why don’t many New York fandoms get along? And why do two of our New York football teams call New Jersey home? To understand the intricate web of New York sports culture, we must take a trip back in time, and listen to the generational stories of fans themselves.
Baseball was the first sport to take over New York, with the Yankees, Giants, and Dodgers dominating their respective neighborhoods. The Yankees quickly established themselves as a powerhouse team fueled by Babe Ruth and several World Series victories. The National League’s Dodgers and Giants both built up sizable fanbases before departing for California.
This paved the way for a new team like the Mets to fill the void left by disillusioned Giants and Dodgers fans in the mid-20th century. Originally, the Jets, one of New York’s NFL teams, shared Shea Stadium with the Mets and captured many fans of the baseball team. Many Jets fans today are often Mets fans as well due to this connection generations ago. The same phenomenon occurred with the NFL’s New York Giants, as they shared Yankee Stadium with the Bronx baseball team, capturing the Yankees’ audience and enthusiasm. Generations later, although both NFL teams have long departed, a lasting dynamic was created between New Yorkers: Yankees and Giants fans on one side, and Mets and Jets fans on the other.
Since the Giants and the Jets now call MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey home, the Buffalo Bills are New York’s only football team that actually plays in New York State.
Basketball and hockey also rose to dominance in Manhattan in the 20th century with the Knicks and Rangers calling Madison Square Garden home. The Islanders were founded decades later to appeal to a suburban New York fanbase outside the five boroughs, eventually carving out a large fanbase in the neighboring borough of Queens and relocating to UBS Arena to cater to both geographic areas.
The Brooklyn Nets, an NBA team originally from New Jersey, initially possessed a distinct fanbase but have faced challenges since moving to Barclays Center in 2012. Despite accumulating high-profile players, the Nets have struggled to compete with the Knicks’ substantial popularity in NYC and its surrounding areas.
My family’s sports story starts three generations ago, when my great-grandfather raised my grandfather in the Bronx and quickly formed an attachment with the Yankees. My grandfather moved out of New York, but his love for the team never faltered. This love was passed down to my father, who insists that I must continue on this legacy and sit to watch each game with him. Since my grandfather’s passing several years ago, putting on a Yankees game and closely following the team brings my father and I closer to him and his memory. I’ve since gotten to share my love for the team with friends and classmates.
Today, New York’s fandom reflects a blend of old loyalties and new influences, with social media and digital access reshaping how younger fans connect with teams. Yet, generational ties remain strong, with teams like the Yankees and Giants benefiting from decades of inherited loyalty.
