The Empire State Building caused quite a commotion when they lit up in green to celebrate the Philadelphia Eagles following the NFC Championship Game.
The decision sent New Yorkers into a frenzy with many joking that King Kong should descend on the city and destroy the building.
Even NYC Mayor Eric Adams lamented the decision, admitting that the entire Empire State Building fiasco got away from them.
“Listen, that got away from us,” Adams said during a CNN appearance. “The way the Eagles game got away from us with the Giants, we should have lit up in real symbolism the colors of the giant. That blue should have been there.
“Unfortunately, someone did not get the memo at the Empire State Building, but we want to see good sportsmanship. The Giants will be back next year, and the Jets will be back. We’ll be excited when they rebuild their teams.”
Despite the backlash, the Empire State Building revealed last week that it would again light up in green and celebrate the Eagles should they win Super Bowl LVII.
The entire situation is music to the ears of Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, who laughed at New York celebrating Philadelphia. He found additional amusement in knowing that his city would never, under any circumstances, celebrate the Giants.
“That would not happen in Philadelphia. It just wouldn’t,” Sirianni told Peter King with a smile. “But Eagles fans are everywhere.”
Talk about rubbing salt in the wounds.
Even King, who would otherwise ignore stories like that of the Empire State Building, found the entire display distasteful.
I think, normally, I don’t care about stories like the Empire State Building in New York lighting up in Eagles green after Philadelphia won the NFC title. And it really doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. But it’s just weird. That’s an iconic New York landmark. It’s not the Statue of Liberty, welcoming the huddled masses to America. It’s the most notable landmark in New York City. And now the management people for the Empire State Building say they’ll light up the building in green again, if the Eagles win the Super Bowl. The New York Post said it best: “Empire State Building to New York: Drop dead.”
Maybe Eric Adam and those at the Empire State Building should start paying attention to the perception this is creating and how it’s being perceived.
