In America, we do an amazing job of honoring individual athletic achievement with our halls of fame, but we continue to overlook the absence of our most overdue landmark: a National Sports Museum. With this oversight, we are neglecting sports’ profound collective impact on our national identity. There is so much rich content to curate—and demand for this content is astounding with over 70% of Americans identifying as sports fans. So, why doesn’t a shrine to the American sports experience exist? In a country shaped by the courage of its athletes and the unity found in stadiums, it’s time the nation had a single institution worthy of chronicling and commemorating our American sports legacy, particularly its enduring impact on our society and culture.

Sports in America have never been just games played for amusement. They have shaped our identity, mirrored our social progress, and united diverse communities in moments of shared triumph and heartbreak. Everybody has a collection of sports stories, as athletes and fans, that connects them to their city, their country, their family and friends. These are not just stories of athletic achievement—they are part of the collective soul that defines what it means to be an American.

The National Sports Museum in New York City is a promise to honor our past and inspire our future. It will blend cutting-edge technology with sports’ dynamic storytelling, providing immersive exhibits that let visitors relive iconic moments, feel the reverberations of a Game 7 crowd, or trace how Title IX has transformed lives. As a sportainment-museum, the venue will incessantly pulse with the heartbeat of America’s passion for sports.

A sportainment-museum is an experiential attraction that blends elements of sports, entertainment, and museum culture to deliver an interactive and engaging environment centered on sports history, culture, and social impact. Unlike traditional museums that may focus primarily on the display of artifacts, or halls of fame that highlight individual achievements, a sportainment-museum utilizes hands-on exhibits, immersive activities, multimedia, and themed entertainment to create a lively, participatory visitor experience that captures a holistic view of the transformative power of sports.

But it’s about much more than nostalgia. Sports are one of America’s most powerful engines for social impact. They drive economic development, youth wellness, and community identity. A National Sports Museum would amplify that power, serving as a classroom, a sanctuary, and a rallying ground—where athletes, fans, and civic leaders meet to imagine what’s next.

There is no better time. The world’s spotlight will shine on America as major sporting events come to both shores in the next few years, coupled with historic growth in women’s sports, an explosion in youth sports, and other positive trends from the grassroots to the professional levels. We are poised for a new era of pride and possibility. Like Cooperstown to baseball and Canton to football, this museum can become a place of pilgrimage, right in the heart of NYC, catering to a global fan base while serving as a hub to promote the various halls of fame across the country.

Building this museum will be a democratic process—as a non-profit it is being built “by the people, for the people” through the power of social media. It won’t just be for fans to celebrate their individual teams’ successes or honor the greats of the game. It will be a place that will bring us together as Americans to celebrate what we have in common and what makes us proud—as individuals, as communities, and as a nation. And it will be for every child who needs to know their dreams belong. Sports in America lift neighborhoods, heal wounds, and spark movements. The National Sports Museum can magnify that power—fueling education, health, and national pride. 

After each game, when the roar of the crowd fades, what remains is this: sports are America at its most human and most ambitious—daring, striving, and dreaming together. That story absolutely needs to be told—and it deserves a permanent home. So, do we allow these stories to slip quietly into history, scattered and half-remembered, or do we build a sanctuary worthy of their legend? The National Sports Museum is not just a tribute; it is a call to action—for every fan, every athlete, every child who dreams beyond what’s possible. Now is the perfect time to make this vision a reality. Let us build the place where America’s greatest hopes, passions, and triumphs, athletic and otherwise, are not just preserved, but given the power to inspire for generations to come.