Curt Menefee: All right, we’ve been talking about this story this morning because it truly is huge. A billion and a half people watch it when it’s on television, more than a million people go to the site of it. It’s really the world’s biggest sporting event and now it’s coming to the world’s biggest stage.
Rosanna Scotto: All right, New York, New Jersey, they scored the biggest goal and will host the FIFA World Cup Final in 2026. Joining us right now to talk about this historic milestone are the mayor of New York City, Eric Adams and the governor of Jersey, Phil Murphy. Nice to have you both here.
Mayor Eric Adams: Yes. thank you. The striker and the goalie. [Laughter.] We were able to make it happen.
This is so exciting. And I know some people who are not soccer fans are saying, okay, what’s the big deal? How about $2 billion in economic stimulus right here in our region? A million people coming into the area, coming to our restaurants, visiting our various sites.
This is really exciting for both New York and New Jersey. Hats off to you, governor. You have been an amazing partner and we were able to score the goal. Great job done.
Menefee: Governor Murphy? [Crosstalk]
Governor Phil Murphy: Same right back, Eric. God bless you, man.
Menefee: Hey, you know, one of the questions is, look, the economic impact, you talk about $2 billion. You talk about, I think, Governor Murphy, 14,000 jobs. This will have a huge impact on both New York and New Jersey.
Governor Murphy: Oh, it’s a huge deal, and I couldn’t have a better partner on this than New York City Mayor Eric Adams. It is a huge, huge deal— economic development, jobs created, passion, visitors, the focus of the world.
The Super Bowl gets about 125 million people who watch it, the World Cup Finals gets somewhere between two and three billion people in the world that tune in. So, this is a huge deal by any measure, and New York City’s been an extraordinary partner.
Menefee: You know, I think one of the questions that people are asking already, of course, there’s always naysayers. But you take a look at this and we talk about the economic impact coming in. There does need to be construction and some rail work and lots of things done. Will both New York and New Jersey share the cost of this leading up to it as they share the benefit?
Governor Murphy: Very much so. The good news is most of this will be raised from private funds. So, yes, the answer is yes without question, but we’re going to raise an enormous amount of money, Eric and I and our teams, from private sources, which is the way it should be.
Mayor Adams: And keep this in mind. We all know that New York, New Jersey has been on the global stage due to the wrong reason, the pandemic. Now we’re able to see, as FIFA indicated, our public safety and how we have the fan experience, that’s what many people don’t know about soccer.
When I was in Qatar last year, it was about the fan experience. No one puts on a better show than New York, New Jersey from the 13 professional teams between us, the headquarters of professional sports here, Broadway, Liberty Park.
There’s so much we have to offer. We’re going to give those fans a real experience and this is going to continue to be the safest big city in America. Really kudos to all of us who have shown how this city has come back and recovered.
Scotto: All right. Mayor, between us, come on, you were surprised. How did you pull this off? Everybody thought it was going to Texas, and I know about you and Texas.
Mayor Adams: Well, we put that false rumor out there. [Laughter.]
We knew we had the best product, media capital of the globe. And think about the diversity of our region. Soccer has grown in this region because we have so many people from South America, from the former Soviet Bloc countries, from Africa, from European countries. Because we’re so diverse, it has become the secret weapon that soccer has grown in this region, and now we’re going to, we reap the benefit from it.
Scotto: All right. Governor, I’ve got to ask you, sometimes you don’t always get along with New York. I mean, we’re talking about a little lawsuit over congestion pricing. What do you think is going to happen?
Governor Murphy: I don’t know where that ends up, but I will tell you something. I could not have a better partner, a better brother in arms than Eric Adams, and this was a great example of that. And we don’t get this without New York City. We don’t get this without Jersey,
But I will say emphatically we don’t get this without New York City. And this is a huge deal for the region, both sides of the Hudson. I could not be happier I’ve got to tell you.
Menefee: So, maybe this will get you together. Sports bringing people together, bringing the world together.
Mayor Adams: Yes, yes. And let’s be clear that New York, New Jersey, we’re family, and families squabble, but at the end of the day, we’re family and we’re going to be here for each other no matter what the outcome of any topics we go through, and we experienced that today when we won the World Cup.
We should be pleased. We are going to be on the world stage to show how great this region is and how well we have come back. More private sector jobs in the history of the city, public safety is being improved upon every day, our transportation system, the excitement of being in this region.
This is a big win for all New Yorkers. And every public servant in New Jersey and in New York, it’s kudos to you. Thumbs up. We’re going to score the goal.
Scotto: All right. Can we buy tickets yet?
Governor Murphy: Amen.
Scotto: Can we buy tickets?
Menefee: Not yet, right?
Governor Murphy: Not yet…
Menefee: Okay. Hey, governor…
Governor Murphy: …but soon.
Menefee: …before we let you go, you got two years plus to work on Taylor Swift performing there, okay? [Laughter.]
I know that’s your big fan.
Governor Murphy: By the way, when she was a little girl she spent her summers in Stone Harbor, New Jersey, so…
Menefee: Very good.
Governor Murphy: …hopefully we’ll get her back.
Menefee: I heard you were a Swiftie, I want to know about that. All right, thank you so much, Mayor Adams and Governor Murphy.
Mayor Adams: Thank you.
Menefee: Congratulations to you both.
Mayor Adams: Take care.
Governor Murphy: Thank you.
February 5, 2024 New York City Hall
Source: NYC.gov – Midtown Tribune news
Big New York news BigNY.com
