1
May
2009
Jews for Jets upset by NFL Scheduling conflict
These guys clearly need to fast for their sins Yom Kippur. Especially the guy on the left. (Photo: Getty Images)
Okay, so this story is like 2 weeks old, but I’m barely a Jew (and really only think of the Jets as the tenants of Giants stadium), so I didn’t really pay attention when it originally came out.
When the 2009 NFL Schedule was released, the New York Jets filed a complaint with the NFL because their 1st two home games conflicted with the Jewish Holidays of Rosh Hashanna and Yom Kippur. The Jets were inundated with complains from their Hasidic fanbase:
In the letter to Goodell, owner Woody Johnson suggested the game against the Titans be changed to a 1 p.m. start to give Jewish fans time to arrive home before sundown.
“I am extremely disappointed with the league’s decision to schedule us to play at home on consecutive Sundays that are in direct conflict with the Jewish High Holy Days,” Johnson wrote. “There has long been an understanding that neither the Jets nor the Giants fans should have to bear completely the brunt of this issue since we are in the largest Jewish market in the country.”
According to reports, the Giants requested they play on the road on the two holidays, and the Jets did the same. But somehow the Jets request didn’t make it to the league office (dun, dun, DUN!!!). The league has taken full responsibility, and is moving the games to start & end before sundown.
Jimmy Kimmel also had an interesting piece on the trouble this issue was causing in the Jets locker room:
