The New York Jets and New York Giants have a new opponent
The New York Jets and New York Giants’ respective defenses have left much to be desired this season, but even they should be able to stop this one.
A Greenwich Village man, identified as Abdiell Suero, has filed a lawsuit through Manhattan Federal Court against each team, claiming that the East Rutherford, N.J.-situated teams’ “New York” identities (as opposed to the teams’ matching 22-58 records over the last five seasons) have caused “mental and emotional damage, including depression, sadness, and anxiety” to fans.
Suero has thus resolved to obtain $6 billion in damages and has demanded that the teams either move back to New York state by 2025 or rebrand under new monikers that reference their Garden State settings. The full 19-page filing has been obtained by Darryl Slater of NJ.com.
“The move to New Jersey financially benefited the defendants alone at the expense of plaintiff and the class of millions of Giants and Jets fans,” the lawsuit, which labels the teams’ shared home of MetLife Stadium as “formerly Giants Stadium”, reads in part. “Defendants have damaged Plaintiff and the class and syphoned [sic] billions of dollars from interstate commerce that should have been rightfully spent in the State of New York.”
“If the Yankees, Mets, Knicks, Liberty, Rangers, and other New York franchises must play in New York and pay premium real estate costs and taxes to be branded a “New York” (“NY”) sports franchise, it is only fair that the NFL Giants and Jets do the same or change their name to accurately reflect the location of their stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.”
The Jets and Giants have both played in New Jersey since 1984, originally sharing the since-demolished Giants Stadium until 2010, when MetLife Stadium (originally known as New Meadowlands Stadium) opened in its place. Each previously played in the proper New York City area prior to Giants Stadium’s construction, with prior venues including the Polo Grounds, original Yankee Stadium, and Shea Stadium.
“The Giants and Jets have no legal or ethical right to play in a stadium built on cheap landfills in New Jersey and still call themselves New York franchises,” Suero’s attorney Evan Spencer told Larry McShane of the New York Daily News. “New York is a special state and an iconic brand that can’t be used by NFL New Jersey Teams to increase their value.”
The Jets have not publicly commented on the lawsuit while the Giants have released a statement declaring that “this case has no merit and we will defend it vigorously”.
Ironically, Gang Green (4-12) will play its final game of the 2021-22 season in New York state, as they head up to Orchard Park to battle the Buffalo Bills (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS). The Giants (4-12) will host MetLife Stadium’s final game of the year earlier in the afternoon against the Washington Football Team (1 p.m. ET, Fox).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
