Sports in the New York metropolitan area

The New York metropolitan area has more than one team in each of the "Big Four" major professional sports leagues. This makes it one of only two places in the United States with this honor, along with having two teams in Major League Soccer. Teams from this area have won their league championships many times. The most popular sports here are American football, baseball, and basketball.

New York City is home to many major sports organizations. These include Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, the National Women's Soccer League, and the Women's National Basketball Association. The city also hosts important events. One is the US Open tennis tournament, which is one of the four Grand Slam events. Another is the New York City Marathon, the largest marathon in the world. Other events include the Millrose Games track and field meet and annual boxing competitions at Madison Square Garden.

Major league sports

The New York metropolitan area has many teams in the big professional sports leagues. The area has two Major League Baseball teams: the New York Yankees and the New York Mets. Basketball is popular, with the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets playing in the NBA. Football fans cheer for the New York Giants and New York Jets in the NFL. Ice hockey fans follow the New York Rangers, New York Islanders, and New Jersey Devils in the NHL. Soccer is getting more popular, with teams like the New York Red Bulls, New York City FC, and Gotham FC in Major League Soccer and the National Women's Soccer League.

Minor league sports

The New York metropolitan area has many sports teams that play in lower-level professional leagues in the United States. These teams are called minor league teams. They compete in leagues that are not the top level, or "Big Four," major leagues.

Other sports

The New York metropolitan area has many different sports. Boxing started here a long time ago. Important fights happened at Madison Square Garden.

Cricket is popular, too. The Staten Island Cricket Club is the oldest in the United States. Major League Cricket started recently, and MI New York won the first championship in 2023.

Cycling was big in the late 1800s. The Kissena Velodrome, built in 1962, is the only bicycle track in New York City.

There are many fencing clubs, like the Fencers Club and Manhattan Fencing Center. Golf has been played here since 1895 at Van Cortlandt Park. Big golf tournaments have been held here.

Horse racing started in the 1600s. Belmont Park hosts the Belmont Stakes. Lacrosse became popular in the mid-1900s on Long Island.

Auto racing includes the old Vanderbilt Cup races and newer Formula E events in Brooklyn. Polo has been played since the 1870s at Meadowbrook Polo Club.

Other sports include rugby, the New York City Marathon, and tennis at the U.S. Open in Queens. Ultimate frisbee and eSports are also popular, with teams like the New York Empire and New York Excelsior.

College sports

The New York area has many colleges with interesting sports histories, but college sports are not as visible as professional sports in the region.

Several schools in the New York area compete in NCAA Division I. These schools are mostly in New York state. The table below shows each school's main conference and whether they have football teams. All information is current for the 2024–25 school year.

Sports culture

In New York, baseball is often the most loved sport, even though in many other places, American football is more popular. When a local sports team wins a big championship, it is a huge celebration. In the past, winners like the Yankees, Mets, Giants, and Rangers have had special parades called ticker-tape parades. People in New York cheer for any local team that wins, like the 1994 Stanley Cup champions New York Rangers or the 2007 New York Giants.

Rivalries

New York has big sports rivalries with Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.. It also has rivalries between its own teams.

Boston and New York have famous rivalries. The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox in Major League Baseball are very well-known. This rivalry also includes the New York Jets and the New England Patriots in the National Football League, the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association, and the New York Rangers and the Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League.

New York and Philadelphia have strong rivalries too. These include the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies in baseball, the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles in football, and the New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers in hockey.

Teams from New York City and Washington, D.C. are rivals, especially the New York Giants and the Washington Commanders in the National Football League. There are also rivalries between National Hockey League teams like the New York Rangers and the Washington Capitals, and in Major League Soccer between the New York Red Bulls and D.C. United.

Olympic bids

New York City and Los Angeles both wanted to host the 1984 Summer Olympics, but Los Angeles was chosen. New York hosted the 1984 Summer Paralympics instead.

In 2005, New York City tried to host the 2012 Summer Olympics, but London was chosen. Later, New York was talked about for the 2024 Summer Olympics, but decided not to bid. Los Angeles later hosted the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Sports media

Newspapers like The New York Times and the New York Post have special sections for sports news. There is also a magazine called Sports Illustrated that has focused on sports stories since 1954.

The New York area has three major TV networks for sports: YES Network, MSG Network (with its sister channel MSG Sportsnet), and SportsNet New York. There are also five radio stations that broadcast sports events.