New York City has a full roster of major sports teams, without even considering the legion of college sports franchises from the city.
One thing to keep in mind is that New Yorkers are, in general, extremely passionate about their sports teams - they will boo and cheer mercilessly whether appropriate or otherwise. Well, without further ado, it is time to delve into the different exciting sports to watch in the world’s best sports city.
Basketball
The NBA is an organization which most people will have heard of. In the Big Apple, there are two major basketball teams - the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets. Followers of the NBA may empathize with the Knicks for what they've been through in the last few years, with poor management being the apparent reason for their retention in that dreadful rebuilding phase. However, even in the absence of Carmelo Anthony’s crafty iso-scoring and the famous ‘Linsanity’ orchestrated by Jeremy Lin back in 2012, the franchise still has a gem in its latest drafted player, RJ Barrett, who will undoubtedly become the new face of the franchise. Thus, international fans or tourists should definitely come and experience the bright lights of Madison Square Garden while they cheer on a still-hopeful franchise with a brand new player to steer the way forward.
It will also be a no-brainer for most basketball fans to drop by the Barclays center - home of the Brooklyn Nets - for an exhilarating experience. Followers of the NBA will be well aware of the news of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and DeAndreJordan teaming up together to form a ‘banana boat crew 2.0’ to take down the Eastern Conference through the Nets. Even with Kevin Durant currently nursing his health, there is still Uncle Drew (Kyrie Irving) to put on a show. Being the superstar players and natural scorers that they are, it is a huge given that spectators will be wild from start to finish.
Baseball
NYC is the American city to define the sport of baseball. With the historic fame of the New York Yankees and New York Mets, it's no surprise that these two teams have an enormous fan base between them. Currently, the Yankees have a burgeoning star in Aaron Judge, their prized outfielder. The Yankee Stadium is also one of the most expensive stadiums ever to be built. Overall, the Yankees have evolved into a hungry, modern and young team over the past years since Derek Jeter’s retirement.
The New York Mets, on the other hand, is a rival to the Yankees, so be prepared for some good-natured hostility between fans of the 2 clubs. Located in Citi Field of Corona Park, the Mets are constantly competing to claim the spotlight. Without a particularly outstanding player though, the team is only known for its fighting spirit.
Ice Hockey
NYC is home to the New York Rangers and New York Islanders, two major hockey teams. For tourists who are keen to watch the Islanders in action, do take note that they usually split their home schedule between the Barclays Center and the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and will continue to do so until their new Belmont Park Arena is completed. For those who are keen on the Rangers, Madison Square Garden is where the excitement can be experienced. TonyDeAngelo, the Ranger’s Defence Man is one exciting young player to watch out for during the game.
American Football
American football is the core of all American sports. For the uninitiated, the sport features two teams taking turns to play on the offensive and defensive ends. The objective is to score points to claim victory - the offensive side has to move the ball as many yards as possible in the timeframe given, while the defensive end attempts to take them down.
The Metlife Stadium is home to both the New York Giants and New York Jets of the NFL (National Football League). The Giants and Jets are both in the process of rebuilding their squads in hopes of achieving a Super Bowl feature, something that every NFL team dreams of. For those who are keen to catch a game from either team, do keep a lookout for their respective star players. From the Giants, there is Saquon Barkley, a vicious and young Running Back. The Jets on the other hand, boast brilliant players in Sam Darnold and Le’Veon Bell.
Tennis
The U.S. is not short on talent when it comes to tennis. Players like the legendary Pete Sampras and retired Andy Roddick proves America’s ability to contend with Europe’s top-class in this particular sport. The annual U.S. Open tennis championships is a tournament consisting of three main categories - singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, and are played out on acrylic hard courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)
The world of MMA has been on the rise lately, thanks to Conor McGregor and his uncanny ability to promote the sport in a media-savvy manner. New York City’s Madison Square Garden (MSG) and Barclays Center are both incredibly fortunate to be part of event halls chosen to host UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fight events. On 3rd November 2019, the UFC 244 event took place in MSG, starring a few popular fighters such as Stephen Thompson, Nate Diaz, Darren Till and Jorge Masvidal.
