Where Will the Next
New Jersey Sports Championships Come From?
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Figure 1 Hockey fans have renewed hope for some Devils success
It has been a largely lean time for New Jersey sports fans in recent years. There are some historically successful teams in our region but there has been precious little to celebrate of late. In fact, for many local sports fans, there hasn’t even been much to get as excited about as the postseason passes our teams by year after year.
But us Jersey sports supporters are a hardy bunch – and ever optimistic. Sports betting in New Jersey is as popular as ever and we will always get behind our teams in the belief that, maybe, this will be the year. With that in mind – and sports being one of the things that makes life in the Garden State so special – we thought we would take a look at the current state of play. Which of our teams should we be getting excited about? Which ones are in dire need of a change in fortune? And where is the next New Jersey sports championship going to come from? New Jersey Devils For many, the quintessential Jersey sports team, the Devils are experiencing a particularly frustrating time. Just one trip to the playoffs in the last six years, the heady days of Stanley Cup triumphs and postseason action of the 2000s and 2010s seem a very long time ago right now. After the excitement of 2023 when the franchise made it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2018 – and beat the Rangers in the first round – 2024 was something of a bust. Out of contention well before it was made official in March, the Devils fired their head coach and limped on for the rest of the campaign. But there are glimmers of hope for the new season beginning in October. A new coach, in the form of Sheldon Keefe brings new optimism, and Jacob Markstrom coming on board means that the Devils will have a good goaltender again. Some further additions and a healthy Dougie Hamilton mean that making the playoffs should be achievable. NJ/NY Gotham City The Goths may not be the first sports team fans think of when it comes to New Jersey but it is the most recently successful, winning the NWSL in 2023. It was the first championship for the franchise since it was known as Sky Blue FC in the old WPS in 2009. That championship last year saw a number of USWNT players sign for the club and make it one of the favorites for back-to-back titles. The season is still underway and Gotham is currently looking very good for a place in the playoffs at the very least. There’s a chance of further glory as well though, with the inaugural Femenil Summer Cup starting this year, as well as the first-ever CONCACAF W Champions Cup. Playing against the best of the continent and wider soccer world will obviously be good for the team and it would not be a surprise if it were this club that raises the next silverware on behalf of the state of New Jersey. New York Red Bulls Staying with soccer, the local MLS team is also proving its credentials as one of the consistently best teams in the league. After the success of the 2010s, life has been a little more difficult for the fans making their way to Harrison to watch the Red Bulls. But excitement levels were reset in the offseason when Sweden international Emil Forsberg joined. After winning titles in his native Sweden and Germany, Forsberg has come in as captain and is an impressive leader on the field. A recent injury will hopefully only be a temporary setback, especially as another star player, Frankie Amaya, has departed to join Toluca in Mexico. The season still has a way to go but qualifying for the playoffs should be fairly straightforward for the Red Bulls. From there, anything can happen in this league and a first-ever MLS Cup triumph could even be a possibility. 
Figure 2 Could the Jets finally make the playoffs this year?
NFL Super Bowl Dreams
Now, they may both go by “New York” names but the Giants and Jets play their games in New Jersey and many of the state’s residents cheer for one of the two NFL teams. Unfortunately, once again, there has been very little to cheer about at the MetLife Stadium in recent years. The Giants have played just two playoff football games in the last seven years and the Jets haven’t played any since 2010. Everyone got very excited last year, of course, when Aaron Rodgers joined the Jets and made the team a Super Bowl contender from out of nowhere. Lasting just four plays, the season was effectively over before it had begun and now his return is eagerly anticipated. The O-line has been boosted and the defense is going to be strong, so maybe a playoff run is on the cards at long last? As for the Giants, the only consistent element of this franchise is its inconsistency. The run to the Divisional Playoffs in 2022 was unexpected but impressive, while winning just six games last year was, unfortunately, far more typical. Now we wait to see which New York Giants turn up in 2024. It seems as though the Giants will stick with Daniel Jones for another year and hope that he starts to fulfill his potential, while attempting to get over the loss of Saquon Barkley to the Eagles. Wide receiver Malik Nabers, taken sixth overall in the draft, is the new hope on the offensive side of the ball. It feels like anything could happen with pro football in Jersey this year. |