The New York Giants and New York Jets may be stripping their famed “NY” insignias from their helmets in the near future if Assemblyman Ivan Lafayette (D-Jackson Heights) get his way.
Lafayette has introduced legislation, currently before the Tourism, Arts and Sports Development Committee, that would prevent any sports franchise that does not play its home games in New York state from including New York or its abbreviation in its name. The legislation also prohibits the sale of team merchandise on which New York is displayed if the team it promotes does not play its home games in New York.
“There are many economic benefits for a sports team to be identified from a particular city or state,” Lafayette said. “Additionally, there are numerous sources of revenue that benefit the state and city where a team actually plays its home games,” he added.
The New York Jets played at Shea Stadium from 1964 to 1983 before moving to East Rutherford, N.J., where they now share the Meadowlands sports complex with the New York Giants.
The Jets name references the airliners that roared overhead in and out of nearby LaGuardia Airport during the franchise’s early years.
A Jets spokeswoman did not return calls seeking comment on the legislation.
—Joseph Wendelken
