Empire State Building Faces Backlash for Lighting Up in Eagles Colors After NFC Championship
The iconic New York City landmark honored its tradition of celebrating championship winners, reigniting criticism from local fans over its support of a rival team.
- The Empire State Building lit up in green and white to celebrate the Philadelphia Eagles' NFC Championship victory over the Washington Commanders on Sunday night.
- The display angered New Yorkers, particularly fans of the New York Giants, as the Eagles are a divisional rival and former Giants player Saquon Barkley starred in the game for Philadelphia.
- The building's social media account issued a preemptive apology and acknowledged the likely backlash, stating, 'I’m sorry I have to do this.'
- This is not the first time the Empire State Building has faced criticism for honoring the Eagles, with similar incidents occurring in 2018 and 2023.
- The tradition of lighting up for NFC and AFC Championship winners has been in place since at least 2016, but it continues to spark strong reactions from local sports fans.
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