The Sports Enthusiast

New York City Spectator Sports For The Sports Enthusiast

For the sports spectator enthusiast, New York City offers you the daily opportunity to turn off the sports channel in your hotel room and to tune in and see a real game for a change. By visiting New York's famous arenas, stadiums, and sports complexes you can experience world-class professional sports and rub elbows with New York sports fans who attend games on a regular basis.

As the song says, to everything there is a season, so by checking our NYC.com's Event Tickets page, you can immediately see who's currently playing and purchase tickets. Due to the huge number of sporting events that take place New York City, it's no exaggeration to say that you can literally go to a game every day of the year.

For those of you who don't know, here's a little info on the top 8 major sports teams you can see during your stay here in New York City:

New York Yankees The New York Yankees, often called The Bronx Bombers in reference to their home and prolific hitting prowess, are one of the most famous and successful major league sports franchises in American history. Over the course of their storied history, the Yankees lead Major League Baseball with 26 World Series championships and 39 American League pennants. Heading to Yankee Stadium to see a ballgame? Remember the funny words of long-term Yankees manager, Yogi Berra: "The game isn't over until it's over."

New York Mets During their history the New York Mets have won two World Series titles, the first in 1969 when they earned the name, The Miracle Mets. The second championship came in 1986 with a dramatic come from behind series victory over the Boston Red Sox. The Mets are located in Queens, and played their last season at Shea Stadium in 2008, which was replaced by the stunning new Citi Field Stadium to replace the historic home of the Mets from 1964 to 2008. If you buy tickets to see a game, pay attention when a Mets player hits a homerun. A big red apple always pops up from inside a giant top hat behind center right field, a tradition that of course lives on in their new Citi Field stadium.

New York Knicks The New York Knicks are one of only two teams from the original National Basketball Association still owned and operating in its original city. As winners of two NBA championships, it has now been over three long decades since a banner has been raised to the rafters in Madison Square Garden, but much like the city they call home, there is never a lack of drama.

Basketball came to Brooklyn in 2012 when the Nets moved from New Jersey to the Barclays Center,a shinning new arena in the heart of NYCs hottest borough.

New York Liberty The New York Liberty is the Women's National Basketball Association franchise and one of the best teams in the WNBA. Although they have made the playoffs every year since the women's league was founded in 1997, they have yet to win a championship. They've been close, but so far no cigar. Like their male counterparts, The New York Knicks, they play their home games in Madison Square Garden, and offer an exciting brand of basketball night in and night out.

New York Jets Originally named the New York Titans, the NFL New York Jets became the "Jets" when they made their historic move from the New York Polo Grounds to Queens Shea Stadium in 1964. Although the Jets have experienced modest success in the recent years, the 1969 Super Bowl championship still looms larger than life in the annals of New York Jets history. Today the Jets share MetLife Stadium.

New York Giants The Super Bowl champion New York Giants make their home in East Rutherford, New Jersey and play their games at MetLife Stadium at the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Often referred to by New York sports fans and football pundits as "Big Blue", the New York Giants have won four Super Bowl championships, including a dramatic Eli-Manning-led wins in 2008and 2012, and Giants fans are hungry for more. If you're thinking about buying tickets, remember American football is played in the fall and winter, so be sure to dress warm.

New York Rangers The New York Rangers professional ice hockey team is in the Atlantic Division of National Hockey League and one of the oldest teams in the NHL. The Rangers were the first NHL franchise to win the Stanley Cup, which they have done now four times, the most recent championship coming in 1194. Playing their home games in Madison Square Garden, they are affectionately known as "The Broadway Blue shirts." Having lost in recent years in the NHL Conference Semifinals, these guys take to the ice with a tough-minded sense of purpose and a vengeance befitting a topnotch professional hockey team.

New York Islanders The New York Islanders professional hockey team is based in Uniondale, New York, a suburb of New York City on Long Island, where they play their home games at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. They are famous in hockey-minded circles for winning four NHL championships in a row in the 1980s. This talented team of national and international players under head coach Scott Gordon aims to bring playoff excitement back to Long Island.

Exercise and Fitness Activities in New York City For The Sports Enthusiast

If your idea of a great trip to New York City means getting some exercise yourself, then you've also come to the right place. With so many fitness centers, bike paths, rollerblading and skateboarding parks, swimming pools, tennis and squash courts, it is absolutely no problem staying fit and trim in the Big Apple during your stay here.

And if you want the simplest advice of all, New York City is also one of the coolest locations to go for a walk or a run. Just put on shorts or track suit, lace up those running shoes and hit the streets. You can jog a different route every day you're here, and see the sights and feel the vibe of the city in the process. New Yorkers do it everyday.

Speaking of fitness, although many New York hotels maintain their own fitness centers (note: some do charge additional fees for usage), sports enthusiasts should know that if they do want to frequent a fitness club during their stay, inquiries regarding day rates can be made at Chelsea Piers, Equinox, and HRC health clubs and gymnasiums.

Bicycling is a popular sports activity in New York City during the spring, summer and fall, with the number of green-colored bike lanes in the streets of Manhattan on the rise every year. To rent a bicycle, please consult NYC.com's huge list of bike shops, which can be found on found in virtually every borough in the city.

Biking in and around New York City is an eye opener. To get on your way, download the New York City Cycling Map. These maps are informative, detailed, easy to read, and convenient for both recreational and commuter cyclists. The two-sided, full color map features a citywide overview on one side and a detailed borough map on the other. Most bike shops have a copy of this map available for free. Also, individual maps have been created for all five boroughs.

A favorite of many city bikers is a tour around Central Park Drive, the winding 6.10 mile road that circles Central Park. Central Park has fewer cars passing through this year, thanks to new closures on the roadways. And while Central Park Drive is regularly closed to cars, beware of the rollerbladers and pedestrians, many of whom take no notice of bicyclists.

Another favorite is the wonderful bike path that encircles Manhattan, and you will be rewarded on an early Sunday morning ride by a beautiful sunrise, spectacular views of the New York harbor, the Hudson, Harlem and East Rivers, and the New Jersey Palisades, as well as relatively few fellow bikers. Bike sports enthusiasts are highly recommended to try it.

Skateboard and rollerblade enthusiasts should check out Millennium Skate Park in Brooklyn; Riverside Skate Park in Manhattan; Bronx Park Skate Park, Bruckner Skate Park, and Mullaly Skate Park in the Bronx; Forest Park Skate Park and Rockaway Skate Park in Queens; and Benjamin Soto Skate Park in Staten Island. All of these locations offer an opportunity for individuals to perfect their skills on inline skates, skateboards, and bikes.

And if that sounds too official, there are numerous smaller parks in Manhattan, Tompkins Square Park in the East Village for example, which have flat asphalt areas where skateboarders are free to spin their wheels.

Avid swimmers should be sure to check our list of popular Hotels with Swimming Pools in Manhattan before booking a room in Manhattan. Outdoor swimming enthusiasts should consult the New York City Parks Department. Outdoor Pools are open to the public from the Thursday, July 1st weekend to Labor Day. General hours of operation are 11AM-7PM. Call individual pools for more specific information. Parks also maintains 14 miles of beaches all of which are open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Hours are from 10 AM to 6 PM.

Tennis and Squash players can consult NYC.com's list of tennis clubs and public tennis courts and squash clubs around the city.

And in case you haven't noticed or have never been to New York City before, many of the private parks have basketball courts and handball walls where you walk on and just join in.