12 reasons why 2024 was a great year to be a casual sports fan in New York City

It was a great year to be a sports fan — or even kind of a sports fan — in New York City.

Heck, even if you ignore athletics entirely, it was hard to miss the seafoam green across the city as the New York Liberty went on their championship run, or avoid being swept up in the fun of the Paris Olympics, which showcased dozens of New Yorkers.

Local teams enjoyed a great deal of success, and local fans sported their teams’ colors throughout the year.

Here are 12 of the best New York sports stories of 2024:

The Liberty captured their first title

As the Liberty had their best season in franchise history, the city was awash with Liberty-green fan gear, and home games at the Barclays Center became some of the best parties in town.

After the Liberty defeated the Minnesota Lynx in the Finals for their first WNBA title, they celebrated with a ticker tape parade down the Canyon of Heroes, the team’s first – and the city’s first championship in any sport in over a decade.

Ellie became a star in her own right

Although Liberty stars Jonquel Jones and Sabrina Ionescu were the team’s MVPs, team mascot Ellie the Elephant was also a strong contender. She won over New Yorkers (and the internet) all season long with her smooth dance moves on the court and her stylish outfits off of it, and even had a starring appearance at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

NYC fencers shined at the Olympics

The U.S. fencing team won four medals at this summer’s Paris Olympic Games, including two golds. The team featured a strong New York contingent, which included Lauren Scruggs of Queens, who took home a gold medal in the women’s team foil and a silver in the individual foil, and Anne Cebula, who got her start in the sport at Brooklyn Tech high school. An increasing number of the city’s public schools are fielding fencing teams, adding to the city’s already impressive talent pool in the sport.

Vintage sportswear had a moment

Some trendy New Yorkers are seeking out vintage sportswear: think a satin Kelly green Jets letterman jacket, or a graphic T-shirt from the 2000 Subway Series between the Yankees and Mets.

“In an age of [clothes] being so accessible, nothing is cool anymore,” said Jack Zurier, who worked for more than five years at West NYC, an Upper West Side lifestyle apparel store. He said this has driven people to seek out scarce, vintage gear to bring a “sense of authenticity” to their style. So now, just wearing a Yankees cap may not cut it, sartorially speaking.

The Yankees advanced to the World Series for the first time in more than a decade

After finishing the 2023 season with their worst record in about 30 years, the Yankees were determined to return to their winning ways in the 2024 season, acquiring star slugger Juan Soto in a blockbuster trade. His magnificence at the plate, combined with an all-time MVP season from team captain Aaron Judge, powered the Yankees to win their first American League pennant since 2009, before falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.

Grimace rallied the Mets

The Mets were playing terrible baseball early on last season. Then, on a Wednesday in June, Grimace of McDonald’s fame stepped out to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Citi Field. The Mets went on to win their next seven games, and a legend was born. As the Mets turned around their season, Grimace became the team’s unofficial mascot — with fans in the crowd donning purple costumes in his likeness, and ballplayers (a famously superstitious bunch) sporting subtle signs of their good luck charm, like purple cleats. While the team came up a bit short in the playoffs, Grimace’s impact will not be forgotten, as the team dedicated a purple seat in his honor at the end of the season.

The Cricket World Cup came to Long Island

Cricket is one of the world’s most popular sports, and for the first time, its World Cup was played on U.S. soil. A temporary stadium seating more than 34,000 spectators was erected in Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, New York. It hosted eight matches, including a much-anticipated showdown between India and Pakistan — one of the game’s greatest rivalries — which lived up to the hype, with India narrowly defeating Pakistan. “It was a firecracker, man,” said Nikhil Kumar, who attended the match and plays for the Columbia Cricket Club across New York City.

The Knicks are back!

After decades of futility, the Knicks finally put a strong team on the court this past season. The star of the show was point guard Jalen Brunson, whose wizardry with the ball is something to behold. After a stellar regular season that garnered him All-NBA honors, Brunson’s play somehow reached new heights in the playoffs. While injuries eventually doomed the Knicks’ title aspirations, the team succeeded in reigniting the fanbase and restoring some luster to Madison Square Garden.

A record number of people turned out for the New York City Marathon

The 53rd New York City Marathon this November was the largest ever, with more than 55,000 participants. And even more people came out to cheer on the runners as they made their way through all five boroughs on a picture-perfect fall day.

“The number of fans on the course is kind of overwhelming and indescribable,” said Alana Levy, the top New Yorker in the women’s field, with a 2:42:01 finish. “It feels like everybody is there for you, which is incredibly powerful.”

New York (err, New Jersey) will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final

Metlife Stadium in New Jersey — which will be called “New York New Jersey Stadium” for the tournament — won the honor of hosting the 2026 Men’s World Cup soccer final after FIFA announced its decision in February. It beat out a rival bid from Dallas and its much more famous stadium. An estimated 1.5 billion people watched the most recent World Cup final played in Qatar in 2022, so all eyes will be on the New York metropolitan area in July 2026. Get ready, NJ Transit!

Racket sports keep going strong

Tennis, pickleball and handball courts (if you count your hand as a racket?) are packed whenever weather permits. But the newest sport to grow in popularity, Padel, is played inside, rain or shine. Padel — originally from Mexico — is the world’s fastest-growing sport, according to Santiago Gomez, owner of Padel Haus, which operates courts in Williamsburg and Dumbo.

“It’s been growing by 100% [annually] these past few years,” he said about activity at his courts.

It’s becoming so popular that Gomez is planning to open a third location in Brooklyn next year to meet demand.

The Rangers and Islanders played a classic

The Rangers and Islanders duked out in a classic last February, which was played outdoors at Metlife Stadium as part of the NHL’s Stadium Series. The game got off to a choppy start: A fight broke out in the first minutes of action, setting the tone for an intense game. After the Islanders built a 4-1 lead in the second period, the Rangers stormed back to win it 6-5 in overtime. The Rangers would go on to win the NHL’s Presidents’ Trophy, which is awarded to the team with the most points at the end of the regular season.