The naming of the stadium has influenced the rivalry, with the Giants overshadowing the Jets. Because the Giants and Jets had been based in nearby New Jersey since 1984, the change meant that neither team played in its home city. In 1988, the Jets faced the Giants in the last game of the regular season. The winner would claim the final playoff spot, but both teams were already assured of at least one post-season game because they were tied on points. This was therefore a meaningless game, which the Giants won 20-17 to take the last spot.
An agreement had been reached between the two NFL teams to play each other in New York City's Lincoln Center for several years, but it fell through when the Giants' ownership group refused to sell out their home games. The NFL responded by granting the Jets permission to play all their home games at Giants Stadium beginning in 2010. Thus, the rivalry was renewed as these were now actual football games, not just exhibitions.
The deal also included the provision that if either team were to relocate after 2012, the remaining year of the contract would be void. The Jets originally wanted to move to Baltimore, but the plan fell through. Then, in April 2014, it was announced that the new owner of the Colts, Josh Rosenblatt, had plans to move the team to New York City. However, those plans collapsed when a new report came out in August 2014 stating that no relocation is currently planned for 2015 or beyond.
The Giants' victory against the Jets knocked the Jets out of the playoffs and helped the Giants capture the NFC East championship and a berth in the playoffs, where they would go on to defeat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI.
A sports team often represents a geographic location, such as a city. New York City is represented by the Jets and Giants. Fortunately for them, their city and state share the same name, so Albany supporters may still feel involved.
New York was founded in 1925 and was "relocated" from New York to New Jersey by its proprietors in 1976. So they could have constructed a stadium and had plenty of room all that time, but they never did and instead played at baseball stadiums, etc.
This is largely due to the Jets' previous home at Shea Stadium in Queens and the Giants' previous home at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. As a result, the Jets were connected with the Mets, while the Giants got affiliated with the Yankees. The two teams have never been associated with each other before or since.
They will both be playing in New Jersey this year because MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is their new home stadium. The new stadium was built for them by its owner, the New Jersey Sports and Exhibition Authority. It opened for the 2016 season with a game between the Jets and the Giants.
Shea Stadium was built in 1964 and closed after the 2001 season when the Mets moved into their new stadium, Citi Field. Yankee Stadium was built in 1923 and closed after the 2008 season when the Giants moved into their new stadium, AT&T Park.
The Jets played their first three seasons (1960, 1962, and 1963) in Shea Stadium. They then moved to Landry's Stadium in 1965 before returning to Shea in 1970. They will be playing their last season at MetLife Stadium in 2019.
The Giants played their first four seasons (1950, 1952, 1953, and 1954) in Yankee Stadium. They then moved to Shibe Park in 1955 before returning to Yankee Stadium in 1959.
They planned to build a stadium for the Giants in New Jersey's wetlands. When the Jets were kicked out of Shea Stadium, they agreed to pay the Giants rent for eight games every year. As a result, the teams are from New York. Because of New York, the entire area exists. Because of New York, there are two football teams.
As spectators rummaged around the stadium for souvenirs, the scoreboard displayed "N.J. Jets," an allusion to the Jets' relocation to the Meadowlands. Many Jets supporters hoped that when the Jets joined the Giants at the stadium, the name, Giants Stadium, would be altered. However, both teams refused to change their names.
The NFL had no rule against having multiple teams from the same city, but many fans felt that giving up the Jets name would be a sign of respect toward former owner Joe Namath, who had given up on getting a new stadium before he died in May 1999.
However, since it was not possible to rename the team, many fans began calling them the New York Football Giants instead. This name came from the fact that until 1958, when the Yankees entered the American League, the only other major league baseball team from New York were the Brooklyn Dodgers. In 1960, the Yankees left New York for Bronx County, which is why many fans and media members call the football Giants the "New York" football Giants.
In addition, many fans feel that since the New York area has been known as the center of basketball culture for so long, it only makes sense that the New York Knicks represent the area in professional basketball. The original Jets played in Manhattan while the Giants played in New Jersey, so combining the two teams seemed like a natural fit.
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