The Empire State Building is apparently adopting a "sorry not sorry" mentality ahead of Super Bowl LVII.
An Empire State Realty Trust spokesperson told Josh Kosman of the New York Post that the iconic building will once again feature the colors of the Philadelphia Eagles if they defeat the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl on Feb. 12.
"The Empire State Building will continue its annual practice of being a virtual scoreboard for the Super Bowl, and will then light for the winning team," that spokesperson explained. The individual added that the building’s management is essentially advertising the landmark "to billions, and not locals" via lighting up the tower in the colors of the NFL's champion.
The Empire State Building generated headlines this past weekend when it "celebrated" the Eagles winning the NFC Championship Game, a move that infuriated fans of the New York Giants due to the rivalry between the two clubs and the two sports cities:
Fly @Eagles Fly! We’re going Green and White in honor of the Eagles NFC Championship Victory. pic.twitter.com/RNiwbCIkt7
— Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) January 29, 2023
At first, the building's Twitter account offered somewhat of an apology for the "Fly, Eagles, Fly" post:
That hurt us more than it hurt you.
— Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) January 30, 2023
We’re now lit for the @chiefs in honor of their AFC Championship Win pic.twitter.com/t0tExEievk
Since then, however, the account has embraced a role similar to a professional wrestling heel:
We’ll see you at the Big Game pic.twitter.com/JlZOLLBjMZ
— Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) January 30, 2023
The Eagles defeated the Giants twice during the 2022 regular season and then smashed Big Blue 38-7 in a playoff game held at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field last month. On Thursday morning, Giants safety Julian Love declined to credit Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni for guiding a talented roster to a Super Bowl berth. Philadelphia defensive end Brandon Graham clapped back and noted that "people always got something to say when they’re at home."
Per Ryan Chichester of Audacy, host Craig Carton of New York sports radio station WFAN criticized anybody who was actually upset at the Empire State Building earlier this week.
"You know, the amount of crying and whining and complaining because the Empire State Building for three hours yesterday was green and white to celebrate the Eagles getting to the Super Bowl is a joke," Carton said on Monday. "Is that how far we have fallen as New Yorkers that we complain and cry about the Empire State Building having a color up that we don't like? 'Wah, it’s green, wah!'"
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