Sports Museum of America

Last updated
Sports Museum of America
Sports Museum of America
EstablishedMay 7, 2008;16 years ago (2008-05-07)
DissolvedFebruary 20, 2009 (2009-02-20)
Location 26 Broadway (Standard Oil Building), Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.
Type Professional sports hall of fame
AccreditationFor-profit
Collection size1,100 photographs and 800 artifacts
Visitors125,000
FounderPhilip Schwalb and Sameer Ahuja
CEOPhilop Schwalb
OwnerMeaningful Entertainment Group [1]
Public transit access Bowling Green station
Sports Museum of America logo Sports-museum-logo.jpg
Sports Museum of America logo

The Sports Museum of America (SmA) was the United States' first national sports museum dedicated to the history and cultural significance of sports in America. It opened in May 2008 and closed less than nine months later, in February 2009.

Contents

The Sports Museum of America was the nation's first major museum incorporating most major sports. In addition to becoming the official home of the Heisman Trophy and its annual presentation, the museum also housed the first-ever Women's Sports Hall of Fame. Among its board of directors were Mario Andretti, Martina Navratilova, Joe Frazier, Bob Cousy, Billie Jean King, Paul Hornung, and fifty other Hall of Fame athletes.

The museum was located in Lower Manhattan at the end of the Canyon of Heroes, at 26 Broadway, across from Bowling Green, close to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island ferry, the Whitehall Terminal of the Staten Island Ferry, Wall Street, and the World Trade Center.

Overview and collection

The Museum became the official home of the Heisman Trophy [2] [3] and the Women's Sports Foundation International Women's Sports Hall of Fame within the Billie Jean King International Women's Sports Center. [4] [5]

Other sports halls of fame and museums, including the National Baseball Hall of Fame, loaned numerous artifacts. Additional artifacts were secured via private collectors. [6] The Sports Museum featured more than 20 original sports films, numerous interactive exhibits, with its 25,000-square-foot exhibition space [7] housing more than 1,100 photographs and 800 artifacts. [8] Individual objects included Michael Phelps' goggles, Dara Torres' swim cap, Sandy Koufax's 1963 Cy Young Award; the ball from Ty Cobb's 3,000th hit, Lou Gehrig's jersey, and the flag Jim Craig wrapped himself in after the U.S. Miracle on Ice during the 1980 Winter Olympics. [9] [7]

The event space on the second floor of the museum featured a mural tribute to sports by famed sports artist LeRoy Neiman. [10]

Tickets to the Sports Museum of America costs $27 for adults and $20 for children. [7]

History

Concept and development

Founder Philip Schwalb [9] developed the concept in September 2001 following a visit to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. [6] The museum's plan was to celebrate all sports, and the Canyon of Heroes where New York City's famed ticker-tape parades originated was chosen as the location.

The decision was made to be a commercial organization, rather than a non-profit as many museums are, due to a desire to participate in New York's post-9/11 Liberty bond financing program (available only to for-profit businesses). Ultimately the museum received support from the requisite government officials, most importantly in the form of Liberty bonds issued by the City and the State to support projects aiding in the revitalization of Lower Manhattan. [11] Schwalb and co-founder Sameer Ahuja raised $93 million over a three-year period to finance the museum, which included the aforementioned $57 million in Liberty bonds, as well as $36 million in private funds. [9]

To ensure the museum was collaborative, Schwalb and Ahuja struck agreements with sixty non-profit partners, including every major sports hall of fame in North America and every notable national sports governing body (e.g. USTA, USGA, U.S. Soccer, USA Hockey). They also secured over 200 private investors, primarily Wall Street executives, to finance the museum––getting them to agree to donate 2% of revenues to charity. [12]

Opening ceremonies

Nearly 100 hall of fame athletes attended the May 7, 2008, opening, with speakers including New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Billie Jean King (speaking on behalf of the Women's Sports Foundation), Tony Dorsett (speaking on behalf of the Heisman Trophy), and New York Giants Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Eli Manning. [7]

Challenges

Although it received some recognition, including Nickelodeon's Parents' Pick Award for best museum in New York City for children,[ citation needed ] the museum failed to meet its projected attendance. Pre-opening projections were that one million people would visit during the first year; fewer than 125,000 actually attended. [13] Surveys indicated that 95% of New Yorkers were unaware of its existence. [1] The museum's low-traffic location, coupled with a lack of exterior signage on the nondescript entrance in the Standard Oil Building, added to the museum's relative anonymity.

Closure

On February 20, 2009 – open less than a year – the museum closed its doors, citing low attendance and $6 million in cost overruns. Management blamed the recession and the related atmosphere in the Lower Manhattan/Wall Street area.

The final tally in overall monies devoted to the effort was $93 million. [14] In March 2009, Schwab offered to sell the museum's collection for $5 million. [1]

HP Newquist, founder of the National Guitar Museum — which has no permanent location — specifically cited the Sports Museum's poor showing in his decision not to locate the National Guitar Museum in New York. [15]

Partners

In an effort to be truly national and collaborative in its representation of all sports, the Museum partnered with more than 60 sporting organizations throughout the United States, [16] and the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto (with 30 of those signed up to participate during the concept phase). [17] Exclusive partners included:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marv Albert</span> American sportscaster

Marv Albert is an American former sportscaster. Honored for his work by the Basketball Hall of Fame, he was commonly referred to as "the voice of basketball". From 1967 to 2004, he was also known as "the voice of the New York Knicks". Albert was best known nationally for his work as the lead announcer for both the NBA on NBC and NBA games on TNT. In 2015, he was inducted into the broadcasting Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heisman Trophy</span> Annual award for the outstanding college football player

The Heisman Memorial Trophy is awarded annually since 1935 to the most outstanding player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious player award in college football and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust in early December. The most recent winner is former LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dick Ebersol</span> American television executive

Duncan "Dick" Ebersol is an American television executive and a senior adviser for NBC Universal Sports & Olympics. He had previously been the chairman of NBC Sports, producing large-scale television events such as the Olympic Games and National Football League broadcasts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bud Greenspan</span> American film director, writer, and producer (1926–2010)

Jonah J. "Bud" Greenspan was an American film director, writer, and producer known for his sports documentaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Theismann</span> American football player and broadcaster (born 1949)

Joseph Robert Theismann is an American former professional football player, sports commentator, corporate speaker, and restaurateur. He rose to fame playing quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). Theismann spent 12 seasons with the Washington Redskins, where he was a two-time Pro Bowler and helped the team to consecutive Super Bowl appearances, winning Super Bowl XVII over the Miami Dolphins and losing Super Bowl XVIII. He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Downtown Athletic Club</span> Residential skyscraper in Manhattan, New York

The Downtown Athletic Club, also known as the Downtown Club, was a private social and athletic club that operated from 1926 to 2002 at 20 West Street, within the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. The Downtown Athletic Club was known for formerly issuing the Heisman Trophy, an annual award for outstanding college football players that was named after John Heisman, the club's first athletic director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Kubek</span> American baseball player and broadcaster

Anthony Christopher Kubek is an American former professional baseball player and television broadcaster. During his nine-year playing career with the New York Yankees, Kubek played in six World Series in the late 1950s and early 1960s, starting in 37 World Series games. For NBC television, he later broadcast twelve World Series between 1968 and 1982, and fourteen League Championship Series between 1969 and 1989. Kubek received the Ford C. Frick Award in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Wilpon</span> American baseball team president

Fred Wilpon is an American real estate developer and former baseball executive. He was principal owner of the New York Mets from 1987 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terry Baker</span> American gridiron football and basketball player (born 1941)

Terry Wayne Baker is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football and basketball at Oregon State University, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta. Baker played for the Oregon State Beavers football team from 1960 to 1962, winning the Heisman Trophy as a senior. In the spring of his senior year, he led the basketball team to the 1963 Final Four. To date, he is the only athlete to win a Heisman Trophy and play in the Final Four.

The American Jewish Historical Society (AJHS) was founded in 1892 with the mission to foster awareness and appreciation of American Jewish history and to serve as a national scholarly resource for research through the collection, preservation and dissemination of materials relating to American Jewish history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Kendrick</span> American baseball executive

Earl Gentry "Ken" Kendrick, Jr. is an American billionaire businessman who is the principal owner and managing general partner of the National League's Arizona Diamondbacks. He became part-owner with the team's inception in 1995. He has been managing general partner since 2004, overseeing day-to-day operations and acting as the organization’s designated representative when the Major League Baseball owners convene.

Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects is an architectural firm founded in 1986, based in New York. Williams and Tsien began working together in 1977. Their studio focuses on work for institutions including museums, schools, and nonprofit organizations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marty Appel</span> American executive and author

Martin E. Appel is an American public relations and sports management executive, television executive producer, baseball historian and author.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York Landmarks Conservancy</span> American nonprofit organization

The New York Landmarks Conservancy is a non-profit organization "dedicated to preserving, revitalizing, and reusing" historic structures in New York state. It provides technical and financial skills to owners of historic properties. In the half century since its 1973 founding, the conservancy has provided more than $60 million in grants and loans.

This is a list of female sports athletes who have been inducted into the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame, which recognizes the athletic and coaching achievements of women. Selections are made worldwide and are based on achievements, breakthroughs, innovative style and ongoing commitment to the development of women's sports. Sports organizations, sports historians and the public may nominate potential candidates and The Hall of Fame Selection Committee votes to select inductees. Since its inception in 1980 under the auspices of the Women's Sports Foundation, a total of 113 athletes and 21 coaches have been inducted. The United States is represented by 94 (70%) of the 134 inductees.

Diane Straus was an American magazine publisher and platform tennis player. She was the publisher of The American Prospect and Washington Monthly. She was an inductee of the Platform Tennis Hall of Fame.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Museum For Sale". www.nysportsjournalism.com. NYSportsJournalism.com. March 3, 2009. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  2. 1 2 Miller, Craig (2008-03-17). "USA Basketball Partners with Sports Museum of America". United States Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 2008-03-28. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  3. ↑ Pennington, Bill (2005-04-13). "Sports Museum and Heisman Find Place in Lower Manhattan". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  4. ↑ "New All-Sports Museum is Opening in NYC this Spring". Staten Island Advance. The Associated Press. 2008-03-31. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  5. ↑ Kinney, Michael (2008-03-24). "Baker Joins Elite Company with Activist Efforts". The Norman Transcript. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  6. 1 2 Sandomir, Richard (2008-03-12). "Luring Sports Fans of All Seasons to Lower Manhattan". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Sandomir, Richard (May 7, 2008). "An afternoon at the (New Sports) Museum". The New York Times . Retrieved 2009-09-30.
  8. ↑ Sweet, David (May 6, 2008). "Sports Museum of America opens in N.Y.: Philip Schwalb had a dream: Why not build a sports museum in the biggest city in the country, a crowded metropolis which also welcomes 46 million out-of-towners a year?". MSNBC.
  9. 1 2 3 Coffey, Wayne (May 8, 2008). "Philip Schwalb's vision realized in new lower Manhattan museum". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on 29 September 2010.
  10. ↑ "The LeRoy Neiman Mural". The New York Times. 2008-03-12. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  11. ↑ Dunlap, David W. (2004-04-29). "At Bowling Green, a Museum for All Sports". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  12. ↑ Kaplan, Daniel (May 5, 2008). "Sports Museum has Wall Street's backing". Sports Business Journal. Archived from the original on September 26, 2012.
  13. ↑ Sandomir, Richard (2009-02-20). "Sports Museum of America Is Set to Close". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2019-12-14.
  14. ↑ Sandomir, Richard (2009-02-20). "Financial Problems Close Sports Museum". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  15. ↑ Mervis, Scott (2012-06-14). "National Guitar Museum rolls into Carnegie Science Center". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  16. ↑ "New All-sports Museum Opening in NYC". The Mercury-News. The Associated Press. 2008-03-31. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  17. ↑ "Plans Announced for First-Ever National Sports Museum in Lower Manhattan". PR Newswire. 2003-08-27. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  18. ↑ "Sports Museum of America Partners with National Soccer Hall of Fame to Create Nation's First All-Sports Museum". Business Wire. 2008-03-13. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  19. ↑ "Ballpark Menu: Skewed Gator". San Diego Union-Tribune. 2007-06-20. Archived from the original on 2012-10-08. Retrieved 2008-03-31.

40°42′18.52″N74°0′47.57″W / 40.7051444°N 74.0132139°W / 40.7051444; -74.0132139

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.