Knicks or Nets: Which Team Is Really New York’s Team?
So far this NBA season, the New York Knicks have shown signs of being a somewhat competent basketball team. This might not sound too spectacular, but if you know anything about the Knicks then you know this is very impressive. They have played with a tenacity and cohesion that has been missing for quite some time. The team undoubtedly lacks the talent needed to win a championship; however, they are certainly not the same embarrassing Knicks team that fans have been used to watching for the past 7 years. On the other side of the East River is a Brooklyn Nets squad that is revamped and has all the pieces for an elite level offensive. However, the team is still missing a championship caliber defense. Despite their futility on the defensive end, the Nets’ unstoppable offense certainly makes them contenders to win a title this year.
There is no real debate regarding which of these two teams is more talented– the Nets have multiple All-Star players and two prior league MVPs. However, there is one question that many New Yorkers, as well as NBA fans around the world, still cannot agree on: which team is the New York team? Before I go any further, I should make one thing very clear: I am (tragically) a die-hard Knicks fan. I’ve been enamored by the team ever since I was 12 years old, and it has not been easy to be a fan these past few years. However, I will try my best to not let my love for the Knicks dilute my assessment of which team is truly the team of New York City. I won’t let any bias creep in– I’ll try to only stick with the facts, as well as the statistics that back them. There is no perfect way to evaluate which of these two teams is New York City’s team. Despite this reality, I’ve come up with three metrics to help examine both organizations: ticket sales, social media following, and free agency.
The first metric for comparison, ticket sales, helps convey how devoted each fanbase is since it better illuminates which organization means more to New Yorkers and people within the city at large. The data will start from the 2012-13 season, which is the first season the Nets moved to Brooklyn. The Net’s average yearly ticket sales from 2012 to 2020 was ~$59 million. The Knicks’ average yearly ticket sales for that same timeframe was ~$125 million. These numbers at face value seem strikingly obvious– the Knicks far outperform the Nets in regard to ticket revenue. However, it is important to acknowledge that the average cost of a Nets ticket during the span of 2012-2020 was ~$61, while the average cost of a Knicks ticket during that same timeframe was ~$144. This definitely contributed to the Knick’s advantage in terms of revenue, and it also shows that the Knicks and Nets sold a relatively similar number of tickets per season during this time span. But the deciding factor is this: New Yorkers were consistently willing to spend more money to see the Knicks, despite having a worse overall record compared to the Nets during that time period. This dedication by New Yorkers to unapologetically pay this much money to see the Knicks have perpetual losing seasons shows a love for a team that is unmatched. For this comparison metric, it seems the Knicks outperform the Nets.
The second method of comparison involves evaluating each team’s following across all major social media, including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. This information will give me insights regarding engagement online, as well as contribute to understanding the size of each team’s fanbase. I’ll begin with the Nets. On Instagram, the team has a whopping 2.8 million followers. On Facebook, the team has slightly less at 2.7 million followers. On Twitter, the team has 1.3 million followers, and on TikTok the team has 309.2 thousand followers. This results in a total following of ~7.1 million across all social media platforms. Now let's look at the Knicks. On Instagram, the team has a stellar 2.7 million followers. On Facebook, the team has more than double that at 5.5 million followers. On Twitter, the team has 2.2 million followers, and on TikTok the team has 338.1 thousand followers. This results in a total following of ~10.7 million across all social media platforms, which is 3.6 million followers more than the Nets. This might seem like a hyper-simplistic way of comparing each time, and arguably even superficial. However, despite it being a small component to the discussion, I still believe it still adds a valuable perspective to the conversation regarding which team can truly claim New York. For this method of comparison, the Knicks win by a comfortable margin.
The third metric to consider when comparing these teams is free agency, specifically whether players were compelled to sign with the Knicks or the Nets over other teams and why. Throughout the past couple decades, the Knicks have had a terrible track record when it comes to acquiring top free agents. The team was not able to land LeBron James in 2010, and Kawaii Leonard never gave them the time of day when he was a free agent in 2019. But the most relevant free agency signing for this discussion is unequivocally the singing of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to the Brooklyn Nets in 2019. These two signings are the most important since they signaled a potential shift in the players’ mentality regarding New York basketball. To understand this, it is important to consider why Durant and Irving decided to sign with the Nets instead of the Knicks.
Durant’s reasoning for signing with the Nets included the fact that the team has all the right pieces to surround him with, including rim protectors, sharpshooters, and a solid bench squad to support him. The Knicks certainly could not compare to the Nets in this way– most of their players were far less talented, so Durant and Irving would’ve had to hold a much bigger load. As Durant said, he did not want to be “the savior of the Knicks.” This does make plenty of sense, but something else to consider is that Durant and Irving were a package deal, so wherever one went the other would follow. Knowing this reality, it seems quite obvious that wherever they decided to go, that team would at least make the playoffs, no matter the conference. So was it really just about a few other assets on the roster? Well, let's look at another reason why Durant chose the Nets over the Knicks. On the radio station Hot 97, Durant said the Knicks were not “the cool thing right now.” He explains how he feels that fans and current players do not look at the Knicks as the same team they were in the past. He believes that teams like the Warriors, Lakers, and Nets are the new “cool” teams to watch. Durant makes it abundantly clear that he did not want to come to New York for the Knicks, and it is evident that Irving did not either. This was surely a blow to the Knicks’ status in New York, especially coming from one of the best players in the NBA. In regard to free agency, the Nets win this comparison method by a landslide.
After analyzing both New York teams using the three metrics of ticket sales, social media following, and free agency, the Knicks win two out of three. However, naming a “winner” by these simple metrics seems incomplete. What if you weigh free agency more than ticket sales? What if social media following does not give a clear enough picture as to the cultural value of the organizations? I’m not trying to argue that these components are the deciding factors. In my view, deciding which team is New York's team is more complex than simply tracking these metrics; although, they do add important nuance to the discussion and are concepts to consider when having the debate. In the end, being the New York team is an immensely coveted title to possess. Because of this, I think it is important to not only focus on the recent statistics regarding these two teams, but also look at the history of the franchises, specifically the Knicks. Going back to the 70s and 90s, the Knicks were able to solidify a reputation in the league of being a gritty, resilient, and exceptional basketball team. During the past couple decades, the team has not been able to live up to these standards; however, the legacy of the old Knicks teams still resonates with New York. Because of this reality, I believe the Knicks are still New York’s team.
That being said, the Nets are relatively new in town, and it seems that Durant and Irving want to begin a new age of basketball in New York. But one thing has to be made clear: if the Nets want to outshine the Knicks' history and stronghold on the city, they have to create their own history for New York, and that means winning a championship. Additionally, the Knicks have such a solid grasp on New York identity that it will take nothing short of a championship for the Nets to have a real chance of claiming New York for themselves. Besides, the Knicks are playing mediocre at best right now and fans are loving it. Knicks fans are hungry– no, starving– for their team to show a sliver of hope for a winning future. This drive comes from a passion embedded in them from many decades prior; it stems from history written by Patrick Ewing, Walt "Clyde" Frazier, Willis Reed, Allan Houston, Bernard King, and many more. For the Nets to override this legacy and engender a new era of New York basketball, the bar is very high. It is not impossible, especially with the roster they have right now. However, if the Knicks can find a way to become a winning team, in whatever shape or form that looks like, the Nets have a long uphill battle to become the team of New York.
