New York is often thought of for its iconic tourist attractions such as the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and Central Park.
While the city that never sleeps is certainly full of tourist attractions, they also boast one of the best professional sports markets in the world.
New York boasts two MLB teams (New York Yankees/New York Mets), two NBA teams (New York Knicks/Brooklyn Nets), two NFL teams (New York Giants/New York Jets), three NHL teams (New York Rangers/New York Islanders/New Jersey Devils), two MLS teams (New York Red Bulls/New York City FC), and one WNBA team (New York Liberty).
Though it is a big, condensed area with more than 20 million people, these teams all play in relatively close proximity. This gives fans who live in the area, or those making a trip out, an easy way to watch several different sporting events in a short period of time.
Where are New York pro sports teams located?
Where New York’s “big four” sports teams are located (Reddit)
Manhattan
- New York Knicks (Madison Square Garden)
- New York Rangers (Madison Square Garden)
Brooklyn
- Brooklyn Nets (Barclays Center)
- New York Liberty (Barclays Center)
The Bronx
- New York Yankees (Yankee Stadium)
- New York City FC (Yankee Stadium)
Queens
- New York Mets (Citi Field)
Long Island
- New York Islanders (UBS Arena)
New Jersey
- New York Giants (MetLife Stadium)
- New York Jets (MetLife Stadium)
- New Jersey Devils (Prudential Center)
- New York Red Bulls (Sports Illustrated Stadium)
With a 60-kilometre distance separating them, the Devils and Islanders are the furthest apart, though fans can get from the Prudential Center in Newark (home of the Devils) to UBS Arena in Elmont (home of the Islanders) in roughly an hour and a half by subway. All others are much closer. For example, if you were to catch a Knicks or Rangers game at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, you would be only a 25-minute train ride from Barclays Center in Brooklyn (home of the Nets).
Meanwhile, if you had your heart set on a baseball trip, Yankee Stadium in The Bronx is just under an hour away from Citi Field in Queens, the home of the Mets, by train.
What to do before and after
We were recently hosted by New York City Tourism + Conventions on a press trip, which was kicked off with a two-day stay at The Sanctuary Hotel New York, located in Manhattan. This hotel is walking distance from several great attractions, including Urban Hawker, the Rockefeller Centre, the Museum of Broadway, the Jackie Robinson Museum, and the famous Chelsea Market, which features over 40 stalls serving different cuisines from all over the world.
Sanctuary Hotel New York
This hotel is less than a 20-minute walk from Madison Square Garden, giving those who stay there the opportunity to watch one of, or perhaps both, the Rangers and Knicks.
Though a bit further, this hotel is also roughly 40 minutes by cab to Citi Field, a beautiful stadium which features plenty of great attractions, including the Delta SKY360 Club. This club has plaza-level seats and provides fans with complimentary food and drinks, along with indoor access to private bathrooms and a full bar.
New York Mets
For the final two days of our trip, we stayed in Brooklyn at the Moxy Williamsburg. This hotel is within walking distance of several other tourist attractions, including the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the Brooklyn Museum.
The hotel also happens to be a short walk from The Second City comedy club, which has served as a starting point for several comedians and award-winning actors, including Joan Rivers, Chris Farley, Mike Myers, and Steve Carell.
Moxy Brooklyn Williamsburg
The Moxy Williamsburg is roughly a 30-minute cab ride from Barclays Center for those interested in catching a basketball game. If doing so, you’ll want to arrive early to see some of the great restaurants outside the stadium, including Morgan’s Brooklyn Barbeque. This restaurant offers up several great dishes, including their incredible brisket and rib.
Barclays Center
If you are looking for a city in which you can capture every professional sport and don’t have to travel a far distance to do so, there is none better than New York.
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