Editing New York Giants (section)

==Ownerships, financial history and fan base==
{{main|Financial history of the New York Giants}}
The Giants have had a long and, at times, turbulent financial history. The team was founded by [[Tim Mara]] with an investment of [[United States dollar|US$]]500 in 1925 and became one of the first teams in the then five-year-old NFL.<ref name="NYG.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.giants.com/history/TeamHistory.asp |title=History of the New York Giants |access-date=October 20, 2010 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100927181041/http://www.giants.com/history/TeamHistory.asp |archive-date=September 27, 2010}}, giants.com. Retrieved January 12, 2007.</ref> To differentiate themselves from the baseball team of [[History of the New York Giants (NL)|the same name]], they took the name "New York Football Giants", which they still use as their legal corporate name.

Although the Giants were successful on the field in their initial seasons, their financial status was a different story. Overshadowed by baseball, boxing, and college football, professional football was not a popular sport in 1925. The Giants were in dire financial straits until the 11th game of the season when [[Red Grange]] and the [[1925 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]] came to town, attracting over 73,000 fans.<ref>Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 52</ref> This gave the Giants a much needed influx of revenue, and perhaps altered the history of the franchise.<ref>[http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1921-1930 NFL History: 1921–1930] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410134638/http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1921-1930 |date=April 10, 2016 }}, National Football League/history. Retrieved May 13, 2007.</ref><ref>Carroll. pg. 126</ref> The following year, Grange and his agent formed a rival league and stationed a competing team, led by Grange, in New York. Though the Giants lost $50,000 that season, the rival league folded and was subsumed into the NFL.<ref name="x586">{{cite web | title=PRO FOOTBALL HERE TO STAY, SAYS MARA; Giants to Play Next Year Despite Losses -- Game Also to Remain at Ebbets Field. | website=The New York Times | date=1926-12-19 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1926/12/19/archives/pro-football-here-to-stay-says-mara-giants-to-play-next-year.html | access-date=2024-08-25}}</ref> Following the 1930 season, Mara transferred ownership of the team over to his two sons to insulate the team from creditors, and by 1946, he had given over complete control of the team to them. [[Jack Mara|Jack]], the older son, controlled the business aspects, while [[Wellington Mara|Wellington]] controlled the on-field operations.<ref name="Forbes"/> After their initial struggles the Giants financial status stabilized, and they led the league in attendance several times in the 1930s and 1940s.<ref name="attendance">Tim Mara died in 1959. [https://www.nytimes.com/1939/12/17/archives/attendance-rises-in-pro-football-grand-total-for-league-games-and.html Attendance Rises in Pro Football; Grand Total for League Games and Extra Contests in 1939 Placed at 1,575,289 Increase 12.3 Per Cent Giants First For Home Crowds With 233,440 During Season --Detroit Places Next] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722190110/https://www.nytimes.com/1939/12/17/archives/attendance-rises-in-pro-football-grand-total-for-league-games-and.html |date=July 22, 2018 }}, ''The New York Times'', December 17, 1939. Retrieved June 4, 2007.<br />* [https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0E1FFD345A167A93C6AB1789D95F448485F9 Pro Football set Attendance Mark; National League Teams Played to More Than 1,600,000 Fans During 1940 Dodgers Drew 146,229 Washington, Pittsburgh Also Attracted Larger Crowds to Home Games] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205060438/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0E1FFD345A167A93C6AB1789D95F448485F9 |date=December 5, 2013 }}, ''The New York Times'', December 24, 1940. Retrieved June 4, 2007.<br />* [https://www.nytimes.com/1943/12/07/archives/attendance-gain-for-pro-football-game-average-367-higher-1072469-at.html Attendance Gain for Pro Football; Game Average 36.7% Higher – 1,072,469 at 40 Contests – 55 Last Year Drew More] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722193113/https://www.nytimes.com/1943/12/07/archives/attendance-gain-for-pro-football-game-average-367-higher-1072469-at.html |date=July 22, 2018 }}, ''The New York Times'', December 7, 1943. Retrieved June 4, 2007.</ref>

[[File:NYG graph.jpg|thumb|300px|Giants estimated value from 1998 to 2006 according to ''Forbes'' magazine.<ref name="chart"/><ref name="78M"/>]]
By the early 1960s, the Giants had firmly established themselves as one of the league's biggest attractions. However, rather than continuing to receive their higher share of the league television revenue, the Mara sons pushed for equal sharing of revenue for the benefit of the entire league. [[Revenue sharing]] is still practiced in the NFL today, and is credited with strengthening the league.<ref name="Forbes">Burke, Monte. [https://www.forbes.com/2003/08/29/cz_mb_0829giants.html Turning $500 Into A $573 Million NFL Team] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805105356/https://www.forbes.com/2003/08/29/cz_mb_0829giants.html |date=August 5, 2017 }}, ''Forbes'', August 29, 2003. Retrieved June 1, 2007.</ref> After their struggles in the latter half of the 1960s and the entire 1970s, the Giants hired an outsider, [[George Young (football executive)|George Young]], to run the football operations for the first time in franchise history.<ref name="x014">{{cite web | last=Anderson | first=Dave | title=SPORTS OF THE TIMES; TEN GIANT STEPS TO SUPERDOM | website=The New York Times | date=1987-01-25 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/01/25/sports/sports-of-the-times-ten-giant-steps-to-superdom.html | access-date=2024-08-05}}</ref> The Giants' on-field product and business aspects improved rapidly following the move.

[[File:Young LPG.jpg|thumb|upright|"[[License Plate Guy]]" at Giants Stadium wearing his first plate "G1ANTS"]]
In 1991, Tim Mara, grandson of the founder, was struggling with cancer and sold his half of the team to [[Preston Robert Tisch|Bob Tisch]] for a reported $80 million.<ref name="c912">{{cite web | last=Eskenazi | first=Gerald | title=FOOTBALL; Tisch Doesn't Plan to Be A Figurehead for Giants | website=The New York Times | date=1991-02-22 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/02/22/sports/football-tisch-doesn-t-plan-to-be-a-figurehead-for-giants.html | access-date=2024-08-05}}</ref> This marked the first time in franchise history the team had not been solely owned by the [[Mara family]]. In 2005, Wellington Mara, who had been with the team since its inception in 1925 when he worked as a [[ball boy]], died at the age of 89.<ref name="u195">{{cite web | last=Goldstein | first=Richard | title=Wellington Mara, the Patriarch of the N.F.L., Dies at 89 | website=The New York Times | date=2005-10-26 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/26/sports/football/wellington-mara-the-patriarch-of-the-nfl-dies-at-89.html | access-date=2024-08-05}}</ref> His death was followed two weeks later by the death of Tisch. In 2015, Wellington's widow and Giants co-owner Ann died due to complications from a head injury suffered in a fall. She was 85 years old.<ref name="j965">{{cite web | last=Graziano | first=Dan | title=Giants co-owner Ann Mara dies at age 85 | website=ESPN.com | date=2015-02-01 | url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/12262269/ann-mara-new-york-giants-co-owner-widow-wellington-mara-dies-age-85 | access-date=2024-08-05}}</ref>

In 2010, [[MetLife Stadium]] opened, replacing Giants Stadium. The new stadium is a 50/50 partnership between the Giants and Jets, and while the stadium is owned by the [[New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority]] on paper, the two teams jointly built the stadium using private funds, and administer it jointly through New Meadowlands Stadium Corporation. The Giants had previously planned a $300 million renovation to the Meadowlands, before deciding in favor of the new stadium which was originally estimated to cost approximately $600 million,<ref name="806M"/> before rising to an estimated cost of one billion dollars.<ref name="78M"/> One advantage gained by owning the stadium is that the teams saved considerable money in tax payments. The teams leased the land from the state at a cost of $6.3 million per year.<ref name="806M"/> The state paid for all utilities, including the $30 million needed to install them.<ref name="806M">[https://www.forbes.com/lists/2005/30/304328.html New York Giants (2004)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131172035/https://www.forbes.com/lists/2005/30/304328.html |date=January 31, 2018 }}, ''Forbes''. Retrieved June 4, 2007.</ref>

The Giants are owned and operated by [[John Mara]] and [[Steve Tisch]]. ''[[Forbes (magazine)|Forbes]]'' magazine estimated the value of the team in 2012 to be $1.3 billion.<ref>{{cite news |author=Kurt Badenhausen |url=https://www.forbes.com/pictures/mli45ikdf/9-new-york-giants-2/#gallerycontent |title=#9 New York Giants – Kurt Badenhausen |work=Forbes |access-date=September 3, 2012 |archive-date=September 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120906002958/http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mli45ikdf/9-new-york-giants-2/#gallerycontent |url-status=live }}</ref> This ranks the New York Giants as the fourth most valuable franchise in the NFL and the ninth most valuable professional sports franchise in the world.<ref>{{cite news |author=Kurt Badenhausen |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2012/07/16/manchester-united-tops-the-worlds-50-most-valuable-sports-teams/ |title=Manchester United Tops The World's 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams |work=Forbes |date=April 18, 2012 |access-date=September 3, 2012 |archive-date=July 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716112318/https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2012/07/16/manchester-united-tops-the-worlds-50-most-valuable-sports-teams/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The value has steadily increased from $288 million in 1998, to their current value.<ref name="chart">[https://www.forbes.com/2005/08/31/football-valuations-charts_05nfl.html?index=17 Teams valuation:1998-2005-New York Giants] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071227231615/https://www.forbes.com/2005/08/31/football-valuations-charts_05nfl.html?index=17 |date=December 27, 2007 }}, ''Forbes''. Retrieved June 4, 2007.</ref> The magazine estimated their revenue in 2006 at $182 million, of which $46 million came from gate receipts. Operating income was $26.9 million, and player salary was $102 million.<ref name="78M"/> Current major sponsors include [[Gatorade]], [[Anheuser Busch]], [[Toyota]], and [[Verizon Wireless]].<ref name="78M"/> Recent former sponsors include [[Miller Brewing]] and [[North Fork Bank]].<ref name="806M"/> Luxury suites, retail and game day concessions at the new stadium are provisioned and operated by global hospitality giant [[Delaware North]]. The team's average ticket price is $72.<ref name="78M">[https://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/30/06nfl_New-York-Giants_304328.html New York Giants (2006)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817123938/https://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/30/06nfl_New-York-Giants_304328.html |date=August 17, 2017 }}, ''Forbes''. Retrieved June 4, 2007.</ref>

The Giants draw their fans from the [[New York metropolitan area]]. Since their move to New Jersey in 1976, fans from each state have claimed the team as their own.<ref name="identity">[[Associated Press]]. [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/2001/playoffs/news/2001/01/19/giants_newyorknewjersey_ap/ Two states claim NFC champion Giants as their own] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010714170955/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/2001/playoffs/news/2001/01/19/giants_newyorknewjersey_ap/ |date=July 14, 2001 }}, ''Sports Illustrated'', January 19, 2001. Retrieved June 4, 2007.</ref> In January 1987, shortly before the team won Super Bowl XXI, then New York City mayor [[Ed Koch]] labeled the team "foreigners" and said they were not entitled to a [[ticker-tape parade]] in New York City.<ref name="foreigners">{{cite news |first=Dennis |last=Hevesi |title=Pre-Super Bowl Scrimmage: So Whose Giants Are They? |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE4DD1E3DF930A25752C0A961948260 |work=The New York Times |date=January 13, 1987 |access-date=June 4, 2007 |archive-date=June 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080615235834/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE4DD1E3DF930A25752C0A961948260 |url-status=live }}</ref> On February 5, 2008, the city, under mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]], threw a ticker tape parade in honor of the Giants' Super Bowl XLII victory at the [[Canyon of Heroes]] in lower Manhattan.<ref name="bloomberg.com">Matuszewski, Erik. [https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aBXA9sWu..qo&refer=us New York's Giants Victory Parade Set for Tomorrow] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102133843/https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aBXA9sWu..qo&refer=us |date=November 2, 2012 }}, Bloomberg L.P., February 4, 2008. Retrieved February 4, 2008.</ref> New York City held another ticker tape parade on February 7, 2012, in honor of the Giants' [[Super Bowl XLVI]] victory. According to a team spokesman, in 2001, 52 percent of the Giants' season ticket-holders lived in New Jersey. Most of the remaining ticket holders lived in New York State with some coming from other states.<ref name="identity"/> The Giants also draw fans from the Canadian province of [[Quebec]] mostly due to the province sharing a significant [[Canada–United States border|international border with New York State]] — New York City is only five to six hours away from [[Montreal]] by car.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kryk |first=John |date=October 19, 2013 |title=Survey says: New England Patriots are 'Canada's Team' |url=https://torontosun.com/2013/10/19/survey-says-new-england-patriots-are-canadas-team |access-date=December 27, 2023 |newspaper=Toronto Sun}}</ref>

Through the lean years of the 1960s and 1970s the Giants, in spite of a 17-year-long playoff drought, still accumulated a 20-year-long waiting list for season tickets. It has been estimated that the Giants have a waiting list of 135,000 people, the largest of any North American professional sports franchise.<ref name="c629">{{cite web | last=Sandomir | first=Richard | title=Giants Say They Sold 70,000 P.S.L.'s | website=The New York Times | date=2009-03-27 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/27/sports/football/27giants.html | access-date=2024-08-25}}</ref>