NYT: New York finally gets some attention in the sports world

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/sports/new-york-soon-to-be-center-of-sports-universe.html?src=rechp&_r=0

What a strange, odd, through-the-looking-glass kind of article. And I don't think it's even an op-ed from the Chamber of Commerce. It starts with this premise: New Yorkers like to think they live in the center of the universe, and when it comes to finance, theater, advertising and other areas, they may be right. But when it comes to sports, the argument is shakier. Sure, the Yankees are perennial contenders and the Giants, among others, have at times risen to the top. But for all the money in New York, many of its teams fail to grab the national stage.

Uh wut?

Story pegged around the All-Star Game and Super Bowl coming to NYC and all the new building construction, in addition to some other events. Aside from the Super Bowl, I can't find a single event on the list that doesn't already make regular stops in New York.

But at least those underdog rapscallions will finally get some notice. Nobody ever hears about any sports thing that happens in New York. It's like there's a Flyover Bias in the national media.

 

That article is Linsane.

 

They mention that they expect to get the 2015 NBA All Star Game as well. And, MSG hasn't hosted an NCAA regional in forever due to its allegiance with the NIT.

The fact is, only the biggest events can "take over" a city like New York. The Super Bowl -- though in New Jersey -- is a big enough event.

In other cities a bowl game, a NASAR event, a PGA tour stop, are the big thing in town.

The Toronto International Film Festival's presence is felt all over the city.

In New York, events like the Big Eat Tournament, Fashion Week, or the Tribeca Film Festival are big events, but they aren't embraced by the entire city, and their presence is not all encompassing.

 

New York has bowl games and PGA Tour stops and sometimes even golf majors. They had the NBA All-Star Game in 1998, which by definition means less than half the league has had one since it was last in New York. The article builds around the coup of the MLB All-Star Game -- which hasn't been in New York in a full FIVE YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would love to find out how this article originated, because someone somewhere actually came up with the premise that New York gets overlooked in the sports rotation. It's really an interesting psychological experiment and an insight into how New Yorkers view themselves. It's also the #1 most popular story on nytimes.com right now so I think maybe a lot of people are having the same kind of laugh over the absurdity of it.

 

I do find it funny that NYC thinks all-star games, any of them, would make that much of a difference. In Oakland, Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Charlotte....sure. But the whole point of those games for those cities is to get some national media types to acknowledge your existence.
Some columnist from some backwater market needs to write the "this Super Bowl city sucks" column. Though I figure enough NY media types will be complaining that they will miss out on a trip, a hotel stay, an expense account etc. next year.

 

How did this article originate? I get the pre-Internet image of several yellowing press releases piling up on Ken Belson's desk (including one from the city about $190 Million! in benefits from the All-Star game) until voila they magically combine to form this dullish little article.

 

I've seen this type of story get assigned dozens of times. It's the one that comes from the clueless higher-up outside sports who says, "Gee, there sure are a lot of big events coming to town! We should do a trend story!"

It's low fodder for The Greatest Sports Section In The World™, though.

 

They'll be too busy writing the "Waaaah, I'm cold..." columns...

 

I think that should be the new name of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.

 

After an NFL season where the second-string QB for the Jets got more ESPN airtime than some starters around the league, how can anybody write that with a straight face?

 

The only thing I can figure that New York is chafed that smaller burgs are getting attention for how well they put on sporting events. Chicago, which usually barely gives Indianapolis a second thought, has hired people from there to boost its Big Sports efforts because Indy was taking away such events as the Big Ten basketball tournament (though it's back in Chicago for another year) and the BMW Championships (formerly the Western Open, and now rotating through the Midwest). I can't imagine that Chicago needs to boost its civic pride through sporting events that barely make a ripple, given the size and prestige of the city, but there it goes.

 

New York has sports teams? I thought they all played in Jersey.

Anyway, after reading the story and then wondering how I'll ever get those five minutes back, NYC hosts plenty of sporting events and the article was a disjointed mess where he contradicts his original premise.

It smells of an assigned story the reporter didn't want to do and then made it as ridiculous as possible.