Transcript: Mayor Eric Adams Calls in for Live Interview with 1010 WINS

February 5, 2024 NYC Office of the Mayor

Susan Richard: The global game coming to the crossroads of the world, folks on both sides of the Hudson's psyched to hear that MetLife Stadium has been chosen to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final. Mayor Adams joining us live on 1010 WINS. It's a big deal.

Mayor Eric Adams: It's huge. We scored the goal and I cannot thank Governor Murphy enough for just his partnership, and we just collaborated from the day that we made the announcement over at Liberty Park.

And I know a lot of people are saying, okay, so what's so big about this? Let me give you some very simple sound bites. Number one, $2 billion in economic revenue in this region with New York and New Jersey. A million visitors are coming here, a substantial number of them won't be going to the games, they will be doing what I love the best: they will be spending money.

And they will be spending money where who does it better than New York City when it comes down to our hotels, our entertainment, Times Square, all of our communities.

And then you look at the partnership with New York and New Jersey, it is a good collaboration and coordination that we're going to have. We proved it. FIFA was clear, what sold them was our ability of public safety and the fan experience.

We've been on the top stage for many days and months after the Covid pandemic, but now people are seeing we're back on the top stage for the right reason. Every New Yorker should be excited. This is the safest big city in America, and we are now showing it by having the World Cup will be here. The world will see what's great about New York, New Jersey.

Richard: So, I've got to ask you, with the New York, New Jersey, a little bit of rivalry here, there's going to be a new venue name, at least temporarily, for Met Life Stadium, the New York-New Jersey Stadium. Now, New York is first in that. Did you have to bargain with the governor over that?

Mayor Adams: No, it doesn't matter if I'm first or he's first. We talk about the region right now. New York, New Jersey is so close from people who work in both municipalities, people who commute back and forth.

This is a very close partnership, and I could not have had a better partner than Governor Murphy. We worked together on this, and so whatever name is on the stadium, I'm more concerned about what seats are in my restaurants, in my Broadway plays, what person is going to come and walk the street. We want them to leave as many presidents here in the city from Grant to Washington to all the others. Spend money.

Richard: Right, so other than that— you know, hosting a lot of the tourists who will be here— what is the city's role since the game has actually played there? Will there be special events? Is any of that in the works?

Mayor Adams: Yes, that's a great question. I took a trip last year to Qatar because I wanted to see exactly what the World Cup was about on the ground. And one of the big things you will notice is what's called the fan experience. Those million people who are coming here, many won't be going to the game, many will be coming here and just participating in the energy that's taking place.

And so our role here is to make sure the streets continue to be safe, to make sure that we are able to have a very clear understanding of the ways to move people to and from. And so our role is to coordinate with New Jersey to make sure that we have a great fan experience, because that is one of the most important aspects of it— not who's sitting only in the stadium, but who's in the region picking up the energy that we have in this diverse region here.

Richard: All right. So, I know we only have about 30 seconds left, but I admit that I'm kind of just getting into soccer thanks to Ted Lasso. Are you a soccer guy?

Mayor Adams: My son played it as a child. I was not at the feverish pitch that he was and his mom was, but I enjoyed watching him. But we have grown in this region so much on soccer because of our diversity. Many South American, African countries and countries that really love soccer in their home countries are now calling New York home.

So, now we have a feverish pitch; and trust me, before this is all over, you will be deep into soccer.

Richard: Yes. We have like a year and a half, two years to kind of get it together. Mayor Adams, thank you so much. Congratulations.

Mayor Adams: Thank you.

Richard: All right. Mayor Adams live on 1010 WINS. 

###