New York City Looking Into Parade For U.S. Women After World Cup Win
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New York City is talking to the U.S. Women's National Soccer team about the possibility of a parade in Manhattan following the team's World Cup victory.
The team defeated Japan 5-2 on Sunday in Canada to win the World Cup.
As CBS2's Tracee Carrasco reported, the team could also make history a second time – as the first ever women's sports team to be honored with a ticker tape parade down the Canyon of Heroes on Lower Broadway.
Mayor Bill de Blasio's press secretary says the administration is looking into logistics and talking to the team and other partners about the idea.
As 1010 WINS' Sonia Rincon reported, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer wrote to de Blasio suggesting the women be honored with a parade in lower Manhattan.
"I think you'd find tons of young women who play sports and those who aspire who would attend, as well as their parents, and the millions who watched it," Brewer said.
An online petition has been started on change.org and had more than 700 signees as of late Monday night.
NYC Looking Into Parade For US Women After World Cup Win
The idea was popular with many who talked to CBS2 Monday night.
"I say do it," a woman.
"I'm all for having it here. I think they should have it," a man said.
"To have that as a way for girls to go, yeah, I want to do that too -- and to really build the soccer team within the U.S.," said Michelle Robell of Palo Alto, California. "I think it's amazing."
But while most agreed, some thought something like a ticker tape parade should be reserved for notable New York local moments.
Cindy wrote on the CBS New York Facebook page: "If a New York team wins the Super Bowl or the World Series, they get a parade, because they are NEW YORK teams. Sure, they won the WORLD cup, but what does NYC have to do with it?"
But Brewer countered: "If you look at the list of who has walked in ticker tape parades in the past -- people from all over the world. So I think it doesn't matter that they're not from New York City. What matters is they're American."
Mayor's office spokeswoman Karen Hinton said: "The Mayor's Office congratulates the US Women's World Cup Championship team on its tremendous achievement, and is currently exploring logistics and talking with the team and other partners about a possible ticker-tape parade."
A local economist told CBS2 a parade could cost the city a few hundred thousand dollars to bring in extra police officers and sanitation crews. The actual event is typically sponsored.
Ticker tape parades are always held in the Canyon of Heroes, which is Broadway from City Hall to the Battery. The last one was New York Giants 2012 Super Bowl Parade, while the last one for a woman was in 1960 for figure skater Carol Heiss when she won an Olympic gold medal.
There aren't any New York natives on the women's team but there are several with roots in New Jersey and upstate.
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