People in New York City live, eat and breathe sports. If you want to strike up a conversation with a local, sports is a safe bet as a topic. Nearly everyone in the city has at least a decent amount of sports knowledge.

Professional Football

New York is home to two NFL teams. The New York Giants and the New York Jets both call the Big Apple home. The Giants have a long history, dating all the way back to 1925. In 2007, the Giants added to their history by winning their third Super Bowl. The other two Super Bowl victories came in 1986 and 1990.

The Jets don’t have as storied a history, but their franchise does date back to 1960. While the Jets only have one Super Bowl victory, it was a historic victory in 1968 when Joe Namath led the underdog Jets to the Super Bowl title. The Meadowlands in New Jersey is the stadium that both the Giants and the Jets call home.

Professional Baseball

Likely the most beloved franchise in New York City and perhaps all of America is the New York Yankees. The franchise was founded in 1901 and has won an astonishing 26 World Series championships. Their first championship was in 1923 and their latest championship was in 2000. Famous Yankees include Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio and Lou Gehrig.

The other baseball team in town is the New York Mets. With a history that dates back over 45 years, the Mets have two World Series titles – in 1969 and 1986. Perhaps the two most well-known players to ever wear a Mets uniform were Willie Mays and Tom Seaver.

Professional Basketball

The New York Knickerbockers are the only New York based team in the NBA. The Knicks, who play in Madison Square Garden, won NBA championships in 1970 and 1973. Founded in 1946, the Knicks have had many great players including Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe, Dave DeBusschere, Willis Reed and Patrick Ewing.