Federal Judge Laura Swain in Manhattan issued a major ruling on Tuesday that takes control of New York City’s troubled jail system, including Rikers Island, away from the city. The judge made this decision because the city has repeatedly failed to fix dangerous and unsafe conditions, even after a ten-year legal battle. 4v6849

According to Reuters, the 77-page ruling states that the city is in contempt of court for not following a 2015 settlement agreement, known as the Nunez case, which was supposed to reduce violence in the jails. The judge’s order places a federal receiver, called an “independent manager,” in charge of the city’s jail system for three years to improve safety.

The NY post reported that the judge wrote, “The continued existence of extremely dangerous and unsafe conditions led the Court to hold Defendants in contempt of a staggering eighteen provisions of the Nunez Court Orders and indicates that the Department has not yet taken the bold steps required to move the jails toward safety levels that comply with the Constitution.” Even Harvey Weinstein called it “medieval.”

Rikers prison in New York City will get new management for a few years 26z5l

Judge Swain’s decision focuses on the city’s ongoing failure to make Rikers safer. She points to “unprecedented rates of use of force and violence,” explaining that these problems have become routine even though they are “clearly abnormal and unacceptable.”

The judge noted that despite nine years of supervision by a court-appointed monitor who provided many reform suggestions, conditions have only gotten worse. Data shown in court reveals a troubling situation: in 2023, there were 6,784 cases where force was used at Rikers, up sharply from 4,652 in 2016. Additionally, 33 people have died in custody since 2022.

The judge found that the city’s actions have not led to a “substantial reduction in the risk of harm” for people held or working at Rikers, even when considering that staff may have underreported serious incidents. Judge Swain directly raises the possibility that the city acted in “bad faith,” concluding that the evidence s this claim.

Mayor Eric Adams downplayed the importance of the federal takeover, partly blaming progressive laws for making it harder to invest in Rikers’ infrastructure. He said he would follow the court’s order and “follow whatever rules she puts in place.” However, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams strongly criticized the mayor’s leadership, saying that under his istration, both staff and inmates have faced more violence and worsening conditions, leading to multiple deaths.

The history of Rikers is brutal, and the order harshly criticizes the city’s jail system and failure to follow court orders since the 2015 settlement. The judge acknowledged the work of current jail commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie but ultimately decided it was not enough to fix the ongoing dangers.

The independent manager will have broad power over all parts of the Department of Corrections (DOC), including hiring, istration, and rule changes. They will be responsible for making sure the jail system follows court orders within three years and will report directly to Judge Swain. The order requires the manager to create “transformative and sustainable initiatives” with yearly goals, focusing first on safety improvements.

Judge Swain has given the city and advocates until August 29 to suggest possible candidates for the role. Even with the federal takeover, the city’s long-term plan to close Rikers Island by 2027 and replace it with four smaller jails in different boroughs is still in place. However, the city is not currently on schedule to finish the new jails by the deadline.

After weeks of Donald Trump swearing left, right, and sideways that Elon Musk and his team of 20-somethings at the Department of Government Efficiency wouldn’t have direct access to congressional or state funds, a New York City Comptroller is sounding alarms.

Brad Lander held an emergency news conference on Wednesday, Feb. 12 after discovering $80 million missing from the city’s bank — money granted by Congress in 2023 to help the city house asylum seekers.

The Trump White House claims the funds were misappropriated and were being used for “luxury hotels” to house illegal immigrants. Secretary of State Kristi Noem claims she “clawed back” payment from “deep state activists.” As usual, Republicans are fully on-board with actions Democrats are calling aggressive overreach.

After weeks of Trump goading California Governor Gavin Newsom about withholding FEMA funds for disaster, Republicans are suddenly beyond concerned with helping out average Californians. The only problem? Republicans want the payment to come out of New York City’s cookie jar — and DOGE has taken everything but the crumbs.

Congress allocated that money Musk’s team snatched in September of 2023. Lander asserts the people affected are, “folks who, for the most part, ed with the federal government when they crossed, in many cases got sent here by the federal government. New York City stepped up to provide shelter and services and pay for that,” Lander said.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavit said the money was seized because “there are still people in North Carolina and California who have not received FEMA funding” and that “housing illegal immigrants” before helping Americans “is not something that this istration is going to tolerate.”

But this statement flies in the face of FEMA’s funding guidelines and contradicts Leavit’s assertions. The organization has separate funding for the Disaster Relief Fund — FEMA’s main funding for states and people affected by disaster — and for the Shelter and Services Program. The money is allocated separately, and if FEMA is functioning as it should, the streams never cross.

Under New York law, the city must offer shelter to anyone in need, and so far it’s housed 45,000 asylum seekers sent from Texas alone. The sudden influx sent the city scrambling, and NYC City Hall claims that Texas Governor Greg Abbott “used human beings as political pawns and sent thousands of migrants to New York City without any kind of communication or coordination.”

Since 2020, one of the city’s 119 shelters has been The Roosevelt Hotel, a historic business that shuttered its doors for good during the Covid-19 pandemic. The former 5-star hotel seems to be one of the most contentious parts of this whole conversation, based on the firestorm kicking off on X. After closing, the hotel was purchased by Pakistan International Airlines before being leased to the city in 2023. The partnership aims to net $220 million for the Pakistani government by 2026. The Hotel Association of New York City (HANYC), which the Roosevelt is a part of, leases nearly 10,000 rooms to the city for migrant housing, with hotels sheltering families for a maximum of 60 days. According to the comptroller’s office, the city spends roughly $52 a day on a single family. Since the 60-day limit was imposed, 70% of migrants find their own housing before their stay is up.

Rhode Island Judge John McConnell has already ruled in favor of DOGE’s recouping of the funds, saying that, “Because the Defendants are seeking to terminate funding ‘on the basis of the applicable authorizing statutes, regulations, and ,'” he “sees no need for further clarification.” McConnell then denied a motion for an emergency hearing and affirmed a temporary restraining order that has prevented federal funding freezes across the board.

Musk’s seizing of funds may be uncontested by the courts, but it’s opened a wider conversation around just how much power the billionaire has. After all, if the federal contractor can take $80 million right out of a state’s s with no pushback, who might be the next target of such egregious overreach?

It had seemed like, as far as U.S. murder cases go, Karen Read’s would probably take the cake as one of the most talked about, unusual, divisive, ramified cases to have gripped people in 2024. That could have been true if it wasn’t for Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Healthcare (a branch of the massive, multinational UnitedHealth Group), getting shot and killed. Although, arguably, this latter case may not be as divisive as the former, as there seems to be nigh-comprehensive, bipartisan for prime suspect Luigi Mangione.

Following an intense manhunt that included the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mangione was captured in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after being recognized by a McDonald’s employee who called the authorities. He was reportedly arrested while carrying a fake ID, a firearm and silencer akin to the one in the security footage, and – like other steadfast, single-minded felons-to-be who would go on to perform an unambiguously motivated crime – a manifesto.

While, in other cases, any level fascination with the accused murdered is mostly perceived as out-of-touch and tactless, in this instance, one look anywhere online and there is no avoiding seeing an underlying degree of iration for Mangione. This is happening across the board, regardless of where one sits on the political spectrum.

A few YouTube comments read: “The McDonald’s that Luigi was found in, is now getting reviewed bombed. ‘Best’ one was: ‘Pro tip: if you’re a national hero, maybe stick to Wendy’s. They mind their business over there;’ And ‘Bet that Mcdonald’s worker is the type of person to tell the teacher they forget to hand out homework.'” But no matter the social media platform, comments such as these appear to be the norm, not the outliers.

Speaking of social media, as soon as the suspect’s name was out in the open, people rushed to the Internet to dig for Mangione’s online s before they were, predictably, taken down or made private.

Digital traces of Luigi Mangione 5z41

Even a quick search into the suspect’s identity will tell you that he must be a brilliant mind. A valedictorian who would go on to graduate from an Ivy League university. Although his LinkedIn profile is no longer public, The New York Times reported that 26-year-old Luigi Mangione was an intern at several tech companies and his social media page stated he had worked as a software engineer at True Car. His Linktree page has also been emptied out.

As of this article’s publication, Mangione’s X profile is still up. According to his bio, the Maryland native has a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania.

On his profile banner, we may notice a clue that makes the potential motive behind this murder clearer – if Mangione is to be found involved. In the NYT article, the author remarks how “a painful and debilitating back injury kept Mr. Mangione from surfing and impinged on his romantic life,” a statement which is corroborated by the X-ray of what is – presumably – the 26-year-old’s lower back with post-op screws embedded into his spine.

Unusually Overwhelming Degree of 94y4o

It might feel even harder to hate on the highly-educated suspect once one digs deeper into his X and examines the kind of comments, posts, and reposts he made. For instance, discovering he reposted about books of authors you love. These can further humanize the alleged killer, even if one may ultimately disagree with some of the opinions expressed.

All of these elements and nuances are sure to contribute to the sympathetic sentiments many people already felt toward the now-charged individual. Even late-night TV’s one and only Stephen Colbert discussed how “America is Horny for Alleged UHC Killer.”

The widely understood transparency of Mangione’s motive is reinforced by a manifesto expressing “ill will towards corporate America” and the Goodreads book review narrated in the TikTok video above. This, coupled with U.S. citizens’ own far-reaching frustration with the fatal flaws of the healthcare system, makes it so the scales of sympathy gain justifiable incentives to tip one way. Something which, in most other circumstances – with a different victim and alleged perpetrator – likely wouldn’t have happened.

The New York City marathon took place over the weekend and hundreds of runners took to the NYC streets to run the iconic 26.2 miles.

Even more people took to the sidelines to cheer on their friends, family, and fellow New Yorkers. Many people make signs which go viral every year for their creativity and hilarity, others bring water and snacks to out to the runners as they go by.

But Diana took to the sidelines to out something a little more fun.

She decided what the runners needed at mile 22 was a nice, refreshing cup of prosecco, topped off with a piece of candy.

This was a much-needed stop at mile 22, and one woman who partook of the prosecco energy boost really stuck out for Diana. She posted a TikTok asking for the internet to find her the runner who took a video downing the prosecco and smashing the cup on the ground, prepped and ready to run the last four miles of her race.

Diana noted in the video that she thinks she and this mystery runner should be friends and that she was at a bar having a drink for her as she spoke.

TikTok wasted no time hunting for the runner, whose name turned out to be Justine, and people in the comments section became committed to watching this episode of girlhood play out.

The comment section is full of women manifesting that these two NYC Marathon soul mates find each other and people saying that they just love when womanhood plays out exactly like this.

Dozens of people believed that these women were meant to find each other, and they did.

Justine commented under Diana’s video thanking her for getting her through the last four miles of her race, and she posted the video of the duo on the day of the marathon on her own TikTok page. And it’s just as iconic as it sounds.

In the video, Justine takes the cup of prosecco as Diana cheers her on and she follows her instructions as she smashes the cup on the ground and grabs a piece of candy. Everyone in the comment section seems to have found her page through Diana’s video and they all thanked the algorithm for bringing them back for the second half of this saga.

As it turns out, Diana was just one step in Justine’s mission to run the New York City marathon drunk. In another video, Justine recorded every time she was able to get some alcohol from marathon bystanders. It seems like a lot of people thought to bring wine, beer, and all sorts of booze for the athletes in the race.

And it turned out to be a good tactic, since Justine posted a video post-marathon and she seems to have had the time of her life.

According to Euronews, scientifically speaking, running under the influence may not be the best idea. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it dehydrates you, which is not great under vigorous physical exertion. It also affects heart activity, leading to an increased heart rate and blood pressure, which can be bad for your body and heart during exercise, especially because running already increases your heart rate.

Scientifics aside, it’s certainly a good time. At least it was for Justine. And she even got a new friend out of it.

Here’s hoping that the magic of the internet and New York City allow a wholesome, if not slightly drunk, friendship to unfold.

New York City and its endless collection of rats have gone together like bagels and lox for longer than any of us would care to it. While crowds bustle and Broadway marquees flash, the city’s furriest freeloaders engage in their daily escapades everywhere from underground nests to the back alleys of Michelin-starred eateries.

Indeed, these rodents have become so ingrained in the fabric of New York life that they almost seem like tiny, furry humans themselves. They navigate the city’s streets with the same hustle and bustle as any other New Yorker, darting in and out of subway cars and digging through trash cans in search of their next meal. If you’ve ever had to rummage through someone else’s leftovers just to find dinner, congratulations – you’re practically an honorary rat citizen.

And if you think that’s human, get this: rats apparently groove to beats just like us! A 2022 study found that rats respond to infectious beats in much the same way that humans do. Their tiny heads bob in perfect synchronization with the pulsating rhythms of Lady Gaga‘s “Born This Way.” This head-bobbing becomes less coordinated as the tempo increases beyond 120-140 beats per minute, suggesting that Gaga’s song is the one they love the most.

Evidently, they are destined to be Gaga’s most devoted fans – her very own army of “Little Ratsters,” if you will. Given this appreciation for her music, Lady Gaga should have been positively chomping at the bit to capitalize on her fanbase by penning the rat musical we all want ⏤ nay, need. New York has never lacked for attractions, but it’s this last one that might be the most… authentic? Sadly, Gaga may never get to see Remy, Jerry, Rizzo, and Master Splinter through the stage during her showmanship of rodent razzle-dazzle. Why? Because these furry citizens are facing a new threat: the “rat tsar.”

In 2022, New York appointed Kathleen Corradi as its official rat tsar, tasking her with taking down what the authorities have dubbed “public enemy No. 1.” Since then, the tensions between humans and rats have only escalated, reaching a fever pitch with the tragic demise of Flaco, the escaped Eurasian eagle-owl who died after ingesting rat poison. In response, the city council unanimously ed “Flaco’s Law,” a bill aimed at choking out the rat population through a more unconventional method: birth control. The city will soon begin placing special containers of ContraPest, a rodent contraceptive, throughout the Upper Manhattan district in hopes of curbing the rat population boom.

Michael H. Parsons, an expert rodentologist, argues in an interview with Curbed that the city needs to conduct “proper data-driven trials” of the contraceptives before rolling them out more widely, as it is “tricky” to determine if they’re actually impacting rat reproduction. Parsons points out that it only takes “a single pair of rats” to undermine the effectiveness of the contraceptives if those rats do not consume the bait. Rats are highly adaptable and may not universally prefer the bait, even if it is designed to be tasty for them.

Parsons’ warning should not be taken lightly, for the risks of this contraceptive campaign are grave, one that threatens to reignite the flames of a new American Civil War (unless Donald Trump steals the spotlight, as only he can). We shouldn’t underestimate the rebel army of rodents united in their quest for life, liberty, and the pursuit of half-eaten hot dogs. For even as the human forces stockpile their contraceptive weapons, the rats are surely plotting their own counterattack (there’s at least one rat with a master’s degree in guerrilla tactics). In the meantime, we can only hope that Lady Gaga takes notice of the plight of her rodent irers. Her heartfelt ballads may not solve the problem, but it would certainly provide some much-needed levity in these trying times.

A beloved Michael Jackson impersonator named Jordan Neely was murdered on the northbound F train in New York City earlier this week, and the incident has renewed the dialogue on how the unhoused are treated by the city.

Jordan Neely was put in a chokehold by a former U.S. Marine and died by compression of the neck, per the city’s medical examiner. The incident was ruled a homicide on Wednesday and the news has sparked protests and indignation throughout the city.

Neely was a common sight on the trains in the last decade, but he stopped showing up about a year and a half ago, per a Twitter thread by journalist Talia Jane. Check out Neely in action:

He was reportedly seen over the weekend on the subway mumbling that he was thirsty and needed shelter. He went through the train asking for help, and people caught that on tape as well.

The New York Times is reporting that Neely was yelling at other engers when the former marine put him in a chokehold and held him until he went limp.

“As part of our rigorous ongoing investigation, we will review the Medical Examiner’s report, assess all available video and photo footage, identify and interview as many witnesses as possible, and obtain additional medical records,” the district attorney’s spokesman said in a statement released to media. “This investigation is being handled by senior, experienced prosecutors and we will provide an update when there is additional public information to share.”

The alleged killer has not been identified, although the murder was caught on an almost four-minute-video that shows other people on the train pinning down Neely and others simply watching it happen. That fact, Gov. Kathy Hochul told the Times, was “deeply disturbing.”

U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also spoke out about the incident, saying that Neel was “murdered,” “houseless and crying for food” while the city raises rents and demonizes the poor. “It’s disgusting,” she said.

“It is appalling how so many take advantage of headlines re: crime for an obsolete “tough on crime” political, media, & budgetary gain, but when a public murder happens that reinforces existing power structures, those same forces rush to exonerate&look the other way. We shouldn’t,” she said in a follow up tweet.

The issue is exacerbating an effort by Mayor Eric Adams to assign officers to patrol train cars for the unhoused as well as directing them to sweep and clear homeless encampments. Homeless advocates in the city call the actions a “war on the poor,” said Jane.

Jane goes on to say that Neely “threw his jacket on the ground and yelled for help. He was a threat to no one. A man tackled him from behind and held him in a chokehold for 15 minutes.”

His refrain was “I need to survive,” she said. People in the city have also been blocking traffic in protests about the murder.

We’ll keep you updated on any developments.

Tomorrow, former President Donald Trump may be arrested for the first time after a lifetime of dubious connections and behavior, which would have gotten someone without money and fame imprisoned. It is unprecedented, no one really knows what is going to come next, and, given figures like Trump spark intense ions in the public, police are not taking any chances with security.

CBS News correspondent Robert Costa posted the above on Twitter earlier today. For those who live under a rock, barricades such as these are often used for crowd control when protests are expected. The world saw them be overturned during the violence on Jan. 6, 2021 at the United States Capitol Building and while nothing is confirmed for tomorrow, Trump has called for protests ahead of any action and has indicated he believes he may be arraigned and handcuffed. In replies, Costa shared more clips of the barriers being unloaded and set up, and, for one person, the idea they will hold back an angry mass does not have merit anymore.

Right now, the former president and game show host’s call for his fans to protest has received muted reactions. One of the organizers of events on Jan. 6 says he is sitting this one out, and others like Georgie Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene are floating unfounded conspiracy theories that what is coming will only be used as a trap by the federal government. The F.B.I, U.S. Secret Service and the NYPD are coordinating the response around Manhattan’s courthouse, and, another responder to Costa is having fun with his tweet, which plays on the name of one of the characters involved in the case and the potential for some chaos.

For now, all anyone can do is wait and see. It is possible Trump could appear remotely from his estate in Florida, but it is also possible he could be marched down a hallway in handcuffs.

Fans have been gearing up for American Horror Story’s return, and they’ve now been given some insight into exactly what the next season of this anthology series will be called.

Yesterday it was made official that American Horror Story season 11 is called ‘New York City’ and will take place in its titular location. While the plot of this season hasn’t been revealed officially, it hasn’t stopped fans from speculating about what it could be.

Fueling this speculation is what we know so far — the season’s name and as you’d expect New York City has led to some hilarious ideas. Taking to social media fans pitched their best and most realistic suggestions for where this series will go next.

It would seem that New York City has plenty of horror stories to tell outside of the show, but perhaps some could creep their way into the FX hit.

Like previous seasons of the show, the title ‘New York City’ gives fans just enough information to speculate on but no clear indication of what frights they will find when it finally arrives. While many of these fan suggestions would be hilarious, sadly, they likely won’t come to fruition.

Fans who are eager to get their fix of AHS won’t have long to wait as the show is set to premiere in less than a month. American Horror Story: New York City is set to land on Hulu via FX on Oct. 19. If you’re looking to catch up on previous seasons, they can all be found and binged on Hulu right now.

When you’ve been Darth Vader and arguably the best father Disney has ever created in an animated film, your ticket to cultural immortality has been punched. However, James Earl Jones is also a legend of the stage as well as screen, and now he’s got a theater named in his honor, too.

An article in Variety reveals the Cort Theatre on Broadway in New York City has now been renamed in honor of the 91-year-old entertainer. Jones, who was mute for much of his early years and had to overcome a stutter, got his start at the spot in 1958. His first line was “Mrs. Roosevelt, supper is served,” and Jones is just the second African American (alongside August Wilson) to have his name on a theatre in the iconic performance district which has captured the hearts and minds of legions of people.

At a ceremony to mark the honor, Jones says in a taped message he was a rookie at the time, and began with a humbled presence before his rise. Essentially, at first, he was working with nothing and had to keep persevering until he attained all he has now.

“I spoke my first line ever on Broadway in this theater. I was a kid.”

Others at the ceremony included Samuel L. Jackson, Phylicia Rashad, Debbie Allen, and Mayor Eric Adams. For Jackson, Jones is someone who set the standards for others, and, during his early days in entertainment, he was who everyone aspired to be in work.

“If you were an actor or aspired to be an actor, if you pounded the payment in these streets looks for jobs, one of the standards we always had was to be a James Earl Jones.”

Jones continues to work, and recently has appeared in Coming 2 America and The Lion King in 2019. He will not be reprising his role of Mufasa in the prequel film recently announced to be looking at the character and Scar during their younger experiences, which fans will struggle to come to with.

The #MeToo era has brought down figures in politics, business and entertainment, and actor Cuba Gooding Jr. is the latest to fall under the sword of consequences for his behavior, after recently pleading guilty to a forcible touching charge.

The Associated Press revealed today that Cuba Gooding Jr. has accepted responsibility on one count of forcible touching, after a lengthy legal battle which came about as a result of accusations of violating three different women in New York City in 2018 and 2019. Gooding was arrested at the time, but saw the final outcome repeatedly delayed as his lawyers had sought to get the charges reduced or dismissed. An earlier court date was postponed, also, when the COVID-19 pandemic derailed the court system in April 2020. The charges Gooding avoided included one for touching a woman’s breast without her consent, and another for pinching a nightclub server’s buttocks. What he now has on his record is one conviction of forcible touching resulting from an incident at the LAVO New York nightclub in 2018.

While his criminal case has concluded, a suit against the actor is ongoing after he was accused of raping a woman in the city in 2013. A judge issued a default judgment in July as Gooding had not responded to the suit, but he has now retained a lawyer and is fighting these allegations. For this plea, if he stays out of trouble for six months, the misdemeanor charge will be reduced to a violation which is not ultimately a crime in the state of New York.

2016 has only just begun, but already The Chainsmokers are keeping the momentum from their huge 2015 going. With “Roses” enjoying massive success on the charts, and a number of high profile festival appearances already booked, the NYC duo is only just getting started. Today brings with it a Dash Berlin remix of their hit track “New York City.” More trance-y than the original version, the producer puts his own spin on it, giving the song a definite main stage feel. For those familiar with the track, you’ll know that it’s more of a slower-paced ballad (with a neat little electro-tinged drop mixed in) that pays homage to the city that Alex and Drew grew up in. With Dash Berlin’s take, however, “New York City” is turned into a main stage ready anthem, full of euphoric sounds that are sure to give you the feels. Keeping the vocals intact, the producer adds some heavy drum beats throughout, which help pick up the pace just a bit. Couple that with a trance-y drop that’s sure to set crowds ablaze and you have the perfect track for the festival season, which kicks off in just two months down in Miami at Ultra. Take a listen to Dash Berlin’s remix of The Chainsmokers‘ “New York City” above and as always, leave a comment below letting us know what you think!

If sports were the number one priority in your life, which city would you want to be living in? A handful of cities in North America are fortunate enough to feature four or more major professional sports franchises. ‘Major’ sports leagues would include the MLB, NBA, NHL, NFL and to a lesser extent the MLS. Simply being home to a major sports league isn’t enough, however, as the success of each franchise also plays a role in determining the ultimate North American sports city. With that in mind, us as we take a look at the top 5 best places to live for a sports fan.

5. Chicago – Illinois 403g2x

Most notable athlete: Derrick Rose, Jonathan Toews Chicago sports fans can really pick and choose with their sports. The Windy City features the Chicago White Sox and Cubs, the Chicago Bulls, the Chicago Blackhawks, the Chicago Bears and the Chicago Fire. Sure, the Cubs are really bad and the Bears aren’t the greatest either but the Bulls, Blackhawks and the surprising White Sox are holding it down for Chi-Town. Chicago has all the necessary pieces to be a major sports city and with figureheads like Derrick Rose of the Bulls and Jonathan Toews of the Blackhawks, they will be relevant for a long time.

4. Dallas – Texas 103d4n

Most notable athletes: Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Hamilton, Tony Romo The Dallas-Fort Worth area is home to all five major North American sports. The Texas Rangers, the Dallas Mavericks, the Dallas Stars, the Dallas Cowboys and FC Dallas are all teams that are proud to call the lone star state their home. Of these franchises, the Texas Rangers have been utterly dominant over the past few years. The Dallas Mavericks of the NBA were the best in the world just two seasons ago and these two franchises are the main reasons why Dallas is considered one of the best sport cities in North America. The Cowboys, Stars and FC Dallas have clamoured to mediocrity for the past few seasons, but none can be considered terrible. Overall, if you’re a sports fan living in Dallas, you’ve got a pretty great life.

3. Los Angeles – California 282t27

Most notable athletes: Kobe Bryant, Jonathan Quick, Albert Pujols This one really is a no brainer. L.A. is home to the Los Angeles Angels and Dodgers, the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers, the Los Angeles Kings and the L.A. Galaxy. The only blip in this city’s sports prowess is its lack of an NFL franchise, but that can be forgiven considering the level of success its franchises have recently experienced. The Kings are the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Galaxy are perennial contenders, the Lakers and Clippers are both among the upper echelon of the NBA and the Angels are currently holding down a Wild Card playoff spot in the MLB while the Dodgers are holding a spot of their own in the National League. This city would easily be number one if they had an NFL franchise but as it stands, it’s still a pretty great North American sports city.

2. Boston – Massachusetts 1l4j1c

Most notable athletes: David Ortiz, Tim Thomas, Paul Pierce, Tom Brady Love them or hate them, the guys from Bean Town have been one of the better sports cities for a while. With the Boston Bruins, the Boston Red Sox, the New England Patriots, the New England Revolution and the Boston Celtics, the B’s have something to cheer for across the board. There has really never been time where there isn’t a successful Boston franchise as the Patriots, Red Sox and Celtics have been dominant constants in their leagues for a long time. It is difficult to even determine which franchise out of the Red Sox and Celtics is more famed in their respective leagues, and both have deep and rich histories. The recent success of the Boston Bruins is what truly propels the city of Boston to number two though, as Tim Thomas and co. give Boston four dominant franchises along with an MLS team.

1. New York City – New York 4vt24

Most notable athletes: Eli Manning, Derek Jeter, Henrik Lundqvist, Thierry Henry I hate to say it, but this really was no surprise. New York City is home to multiple sports franchises, even within the same league, as the Rangers and Islanders, as well as the Yankees and Mets, compete against each other within the NHL and MLB, respectively. Additionally, the concrete jungle is home to the defending Super Bowl champions the New York Giants, the New York Red Bulls, the New York Knicks as well as the recently relocated Brooklyn Nets. No other city in the world has this many pro sports franchises. The success of these franchises is ultimately what placed New York at number one. The Rangers, the Yankees, the Giants and the Red Bulls are all among the upper echelons of their leagues. The sheer quantity but also quality of New York’s sports franchises is staggering and as a sports fan, the Big Apple would be my number one city to live in. So there you have it! The top five sports cities in North America. Where would you rank your city within this list? Let us know in the comments below.