What are the different sport teams in New York? Where and when can you see them?

If you are a fan of sports or just curious about the American love for sports, you can enjoy it in New York!

Every game of any sport in the United States becomes a real party, with lots of great shows both on the court and off the court. There are a lot of different activities like DJ’s, and cheerleaders to justify the price of admission. Attending Madison Square Garden or Yankee Stadium you get to experience American culture and the real value of sports.

It is important to know the seasons of each sport to catch the game you would like to see or the team that best interests you.
For example, if you would like to attend a baseball game, the best time in New York would be between April and October for the MLB championship season. Any other time of the year, there are other sports like football, soccer, hockey, basketball, etc.

You do not have to book your tickets in a travel agency. You can easily purchase them on Ticketnework.
Once you’ve booked your tickets, you can receive them by e-mail and print them out before traveling to New York
You can also buy your tickets at the stadium box office, but I don’t recommend it. If another person accompanies you, there is a chance you won’t be able to sit next to each other. Purchasing tickets on the day of the event can be more expensive usually because the cheaper seats have already been taken.

COVID-19 info

Seasons have been greatly altered from the pandemic and the risk of hosting large numbers of people in an open or closed venue. A semblance of a return to normalcy has been underway for the past few weeks with strict conditions for entering a stadium, accompanied by basic measures (checking temperature, wearing masks, and social distancing).
Here are the details:

Yankee Stadium
All spectators 3 years of age and older must present:
– a PCR test taken within 72 hours of the event day,
– or a rapid antigen test taken within six hours of the event start time with a negative result to enter the sports arena,
– present proof of Moderna/Pfizer/Johnson&Johnson vaccination (considered complete 2 weeks after the second dose of vaccine).

Citi Field
The requirements are the same as for Yankee Stadium. Fans will also be required to complete a health clearance document before entering the stadium.
They recommend downloading the Health Pass app by CLEAR to submit negative results.

Madison Square Garden
You have three options for entering Madison Square Garden:
– Negative antigen test results taken within 6 hours of the event start, to be done at Madison Square Garden or at one of the NY Forward Rapid Test Program facilities. The cost is $30 per test.
– Proof of Moderna/Pfizer/Johnson&Johnson vaccination (considered complete 2 weeks after the second dose of vaccine).
– Negative result with a PCR test taken within 72 hours of the event day.

Barclays Center
– Fully vaccinated Moderna/Pfizer/Johnson&Johnson (considered complete 2 weeks after the second dose of vaccine) must present proof of vaccination before entering.
– Non-vaccinated individuals may present a PCR test taken within 72 hours of the event day or an antigen test taken within 6 hours of the event start, both available at the Barclays Center at no additional cost.
– It is also possible to present a PCR test done at another facility. In this case, you must download the CLEAR application to submit your results.

BASKETBALL – NBA

The National Basketball Association is the best basketball league in the world!
Every basketball player’s dream is to play along with Michael Jordan or “Magic” Johnson in the NBA. Well, if you can’t play, at least see an NBA game. It’s a great experience.

BASKET-BALL – WNBA (Women)

Since 1997, the NBA has had a women’s league (WNBA) they put on high-quality games and a great atmosphere.

FOOTBALL – NFL

It is typically an American sport that is not played much in other countries.
If you do not understand it well, that’s not a problem. I guarantee that the atmosphere in the stadium is so great you will not regret going to the stadium! 😉

BASEBALL – MLB

It is another sport that’s mostly played in America, with many Latin players.
It is a sport that is a bit complicated to understand at first glance. To appreciate the game, it is necessary to know the rules to avoid getting lost. Before watching a game, I recommend reading the basic rules explained, again, by Stéphane in this article.

Ice Hockey – NHL

The NHL hockey league is combined with Canada and the United States. It is one of the best leagues in sports, with outstanding players. The keeper of the New York Rangers is Henrik Lundqvist from Sweden, considered the best goalkeeper in the world. He has the highest salary in the profession, with 8.5 million dollars !

SOCCER – MLS

“Soccer” is how Americans call football. Football and soccer are very different.
I’m just telling if you’re not familiar with the difference 😉
Americans are becoming more interested in soccer than ever before, that was very clear during the last world cup.

Calendar

Each sport has different seasons. To help, I prepared this calendar that will let you know what to see during your stay in New York.
Then click on the team logo to access the online booking portal Ticketnework.

JANUARY	Basket-ball – NBA
	Football – NFL
	Ice Hockey – NHL
FEBRUARY	Basket-ball – NBA
	Ice Hockey – NHL
MARCH	Basket-ball – NBA
	Ice Hockey – NHL
	Soccer – MLS
APRIL	Baseball – MLB
	Basket-ball – NBA
	Ice Hockey – NHL
	Soccer – MLS
MAY	Baseball – MLB
	Basket-ball – NBA
	Ice Hockey – NHL
	Soccer – MLS
JUNE	Baseball – MLB
	Basket-ball – WNBA
	Ice Hockey – NHL
	Soccer – MLS
JULY	Baseball – MLB
	Basket-ball – WNBA
	Soccer – MLS
AUGUST	Baseball – MLB
	Basket-ball – WNBA
	Soccer – MLS
	Tennis – WTA
SEPTEMBER	Baseball – MLB
	Basket-ball – WNBA
	Football – NFL
	Soccer – MLS
	Tennis – WTA
OCTOBER	Baseball – MLB
	Basket-ball – NBA
	Football – NFL
	Ice Hockey – NHL
	Soccer – MLS
NOVEMBER	Basket-ball – NBA
	Football – NFL
	Ice Hockey – NHL
	Soccer – MLS
DECEMBER	Basket-ball – NBA
	Football – NFL
	Ice Hockey – NHL

The dates given on this table indicate the regular season and playoffs (final dates known at the end of the regular season).
If a team does not qualify for the playoffs, you can not go to watch them.

For example, if you anticipate going to New York in May, you will see the Knicks or Nets if they get to the NBA playoffs, but if they don’t make it, then you won’t be able to see them.

The price of tickets depends on where the seats are in the stadium, but during the playoffs, all seats are more expensive than during the regular season.

You could also go see pre-season games a month before the start of the championship. These games, called “pre-season games” (“spring training” in baseball), allow teams to train and improve their strategies. These are less expensive games since competition is tough, and they are trying to earn a spot. It is when the starters and the “rookies” have to prove how good they are. They can be more interesting than games of the regular season.
The best part about that is that the rate is cheaper. If you have a tight budget, this may be the best option 😉

Summary: :

Map of the stadiums

Conclusion

You know the major teams of New York City, where and when to go see them.
I do not think the main reason for your trip to New York should be watching a game (unless you are fans of one team or sport). However, if you can afford it, it’s an experience worth trying! 🙂

Memo

My fist trip to New York was in 2007 when I was working for an airline company. I was born in the US, I lived in Mexico, in Europe in between Belgium, Spain and France… Well, let’s say I know about travelling! I bring my experience of NYC to the blog, to provide the best travel tips you could imagine!