sports
Knicks Win First NBA Title Since 1973 as New York Hosts ESPYS and Scheduled World Cup Final
The Knicks claimed their first NBA championship in 53 years while the Liberty added a Commissioner's Cup and Taylor Swift married Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden. Fanatics Fest, the ESPYS and the Sports Humanitarian Awards followed, building to Sunday's FIFA World Cup final.
Jul 16, 6:48 PM·1m read6 sources
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The New York Knicks won the NBA championship for the first time in 53 years, ending a long title drought that began after their last victory in 1973. The New York Liberty followed with a second Commissioner's Cup title in Brooklyn, and Taylor Swift married Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden.
Jay-Z held a three-night concert at Yankee Stadium the weekend before the Los Angeles Dodgers faced the New York Yankees.
Gotham FC set a new attendance record for a women's sports event in the city during the same stretch. The Sports Humanitarian Awards and the 2026 ESPY Awards, hosted by comedian Hernández on July 15, drew athletes and entertainers to Manhattan. Fanatics Fest featured LeBron James and Tom Brady, with James and Tyrese Haliburton taping an episode of James' "Mind the Game" podcast on July 16.
Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Aaron Judge appeared together for a live taping of the "Roommates Show" at Fanatics Fest the same day. The Baltimore Ravens received the 2026 Sports Humanitarian Award for Team of the Year. Ravens team president Sashi Brown said the organization would contribute $100,000 to ESPN's pediatric cancer research goal.
ESPN president of content Burke Magnus and vice president of corporate citizenship Kevin Martinez announced the network's target of raising $10 million before Super Bowl LXI, with $2 million already collected as of July 16. The FIFA World Cup final is scheduled for Sunday in New York City, closing the sequence of events.
