Regnyctix Com: Sherrill Seeks New Jersey First on MetLife Sign
regnyctix com reports that New Jersey asked for the most prominent MetLife Stadium sign to read New Jersey New York instead of New York New Jersey during the World Cup. Work is now underway on the sign fans will see as they exit the New Jersey Transit rail system and the stadium first comes into view.
Sherrill and the stadium signs
Mikie Sherrill said she wanted New Jersey placed first because the state is hosting eight World Cup matches at the stadium, including the final. “I will always put New Jersey first, and I wanted to make sure the stadium hosting eight World Cup matches in our state did the same,” she said.
The venue uses two large signs during the tournament. The name on those signs is New York New Jersey Stadium. The request targets at least one side of the stadium, not every reference to the venue.
MetLife Stadium and the 2018 bid
The naming fight sits inside a host-city partnership that was set out in the 2018 bid book for the joint United States, Canada and Mexico bid. That arrangement gave New York and New Jersey a shared tournament identity, even though the stadium sits in New Jersey and will also serve as a training base for Brazil, Senegal, Haiti and Morocco.
Sherrill said the change would better reflect New Jersey’s role, investment and contribution to the World Cup. “We are thrilled to welcome soccer fans from around the world this summer, and this recognition helps ensure the experience is just as exciting and memorable for New Jerseyans as it is for our visitors,” she said.
NJ Transit’s $48 million bill
The sign dispute is landing at the same time NJ Transit says its World Cup costs will total $48 million, or $6 million per game across the eight matches at MetLife Stadium. NJ Transit also set a $98 round-trip rail ticket from New York’s Pennsylvania Station to the stadium after first announcing a $150 fare, while the ordinary return trip on the 18-mile route costs $12.90.
FIFA said the rail pricing would have a chilling effect. FIFA had originally agreed with host cities that transportation to games would be free for ticket holders, then dropped that requirement and agreed transport should be provided at cost.
For fans heading to the stadium, the practical issue is not the sign alone. It is who pays to get there, who carries the cost, and whose name sits first on the building they will see before kickoff.
