Chances are if you’ve stumbled onto this site or come here often, you or someone you know are big into New York sports. Being that I dedicate most of my time to following New York sports, you could say I know a thing or two about what the New York sports fan would like as a gift during the holidays. Here are some suggestions, some cheap and some more expensive, that will satisfy the New York sports fans in your life.

1. Tickets
For a sports fan, receiving tickets to see your favorite team live is as good as it gets. Tickets to the Giants, Jets, Knicks, Nets, Rangers, Devils or Islanders are a good place to start. If you want to think outside the box, how about tickets to see a college basketball game, most likely a Big East team, at the Garden? They’ll be cheaper than Knicks tickets. Another idea are tickets for Yankees or Mets spring training games. Plan to spend a long weekend in Florida during March and include tickets to a preseason game.
Tickets to consider:
- Giants host the Carolina Panthers December 27, 2009
- Jets host the Cincinnati Bengals January 3, 2010
- Knicks multi-game ticket packages (currently have very good prices for 5 game packages)
- St. John’s hosts Villanova at MSG January 23, 2010 (St. John’s also has home games at MSG against West Virginia, Louisville, and Pittsburgh)

2. Team Jersey/Apparel
For a Jets fan, get them the jersey of the best cornerback in the NFL; Darrelle Revis. An Eli Manning jersey will make a Giants fan happy. A heavy coat with the Giants or Jets logo on it would be ideal for fans who go to games during the winter. A new Yankees fitted baseball cap with the 2009 World Series logo patch or 27th World Series title emblem would be a great gift for a Yankees fan. Any 2009 World Series item would be a great way to commemorate the championship season. Yankee fans are probably the easiest to shop for this year. A David Wright or Johan Santana jersey makes a great gift for a Mets fan as would a Mets windbreaker. A throwback Knicks jersey will make a Knick fan reminisce and a Danilo Gallinari or Wilson Chandler jersey will get them thinking of the future.

3. Sports Books
A great book for a New York sports fan and any sports fan in general is “The 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live”. Written by Robert Tuchman, this book gives an insider’s guide to 100 of the top sporting events in the world. For more information on sports travel, which does hand-in-hand with Robert’s book, go here. There are plenty of other sports books to choose from such as Joe Torre’s book “The Yankee Years” and “Open” by Andre Agassi.

4. Tailgate Items
Big into tailgating? Give a 10×10 tent, a new grill or car decals/flags. Be more creative and buy a plain cooler and paint the logos of his/her favorite teams and interests on it (see pictures below). Go to Bud Light’s website and get the person a funny tailgating item like the “Grooler” or grass koozie. Take it a step further and rent a bus to take a group of people to the game and put together a huge tailgate. 

These are my three coolers courtesy of my wonderful girlfriend

5. Gift card
An ESPN Zone gift card is a perfect gift if he/she loves to go out and watch the game with a crowd. Eat, drink, watch the game, then play games. Right smack in the middle of Times Square, ESPN Zone is a great place to watch any game. A gift card to the Sports Authority is great too. Let the person pick out exactly what they want. If you can’t find the perfect gift give them the option to pick out their own. 

6. Team Memorabilia
The sports fan will love an autographed photo of their favorite player, an item from the old Yankee Stadium or a game worn jersey. Find an item the person can put on display in his/her home. The best place for sports memorabilia is Steiner Sports. They have an incredible selection and collection including signed balls, signed game used bases and just about anything you could think of. 

7. Team Accessories
There are a ton of team accessories to choose from so let’s narrow it down. A beer mug decorated with a team logo is nice. A flask or shot glass with the team emblem on it is nice too. Another nice gift would be a thick Giants or Jets blanket that can be taken to the game or put on the couch during the games. Spice up a room with a Fathead! This life-size decoration turns a regular room into a real sports room. Go to Fathead’s website here.

8. Electronics
On the road a lot? Give them satellite radio so they can listen to New York sports talk constantly. If the person doesn’t have season tickets, or even if they do, get them a wide screen HD TV to watch the games on. Compliment the sports fan’s living room with a mini fridge so they don’t have to leave their position on the couch to get a cold one.

I hope this list helps get some ideas going. New York sports fans are the best in the world and they deserve great gifts during the holidays that allow them to take their level of fandom to the next level.

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