It's a color scheme that screams celebration for some and brings utter dismay to others. Once again, the iconic spire of the Empire State Building was bathed in the Philadelphia Eagles' green and white hues following their Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. As reported by ABC7NY, this marks the second time in recent history the landmark has donned the Eagles' colors, much to the chagrin of many New Yorkers.
Emotions were mixed on social media where the Empire State Building's account shared a photo of the illuminated structure with a caption that read, "I'm going to be sick." It should be noted, the upset expressed likely wasn't due to the outcome of the game but more so due to the New York landmark's tradition of honoring league champions. Ironically, despite being the home turf for rival sports teams, the building also shined similarly after the Eagle's NFC Championship win against the Washington Commanders, as The Inquirer observed.
Highlighting the building in enemy colors is not without strife. After lighting up post-NFC Championship, the New York Sanitation Department deemed it "unforgivable," while City Councilmember Keith Powers called the move "absolutely ridiculous," as detailed by The Inquirer. Nevertheless, the Empire State Building has kept up with its tradition, honoring the NFC and AFC championship winners along with the Super Bowl victors for the better part of a decade—regardless of the city's sports loyalties.
Last year's victory has a twist of salt in the wound for New Yorkers as former New York Giant Saquon Barkley, who was instrumental in the Eagles' success this season, had many locals feeling the burn of losing one of their own. Despite the social media uproar, the Empire State Building's account concluded Sunday evening with a post stating, "Shining in @Eagles colors for the rest of the evening," ensuring that everyone knew exactly how long the green and white lights would be on display—much to the dismay of New Yorkers who, according to The Inquirer, are expected to be mad once more about this year's display.
