New York City’s 207th ticker tape parade to honor the U.S. Women’s National Team, winners of the 2019 Women’s World Cup has concluded with a celebration at New York City Hall.
The team proceeded on floats uptown from Battery Park at the southern tip of Lower Manhattan, along the Canyon of Heroes, a stretch of Broadway between Battery Park and City Hall.
Tens of thousands cheered the athletes, especially co-captain Megan Rapinoe.
Mayor Bill de Blasio hosted the team at a ceremony at City Hall to present the keys to the city to the winners.
ABC’s Good Morning America coanchor Robin Roberts — an out lesbian — was the emcee.
Ticker-tape parades are named for the strips of paper that once ran through stock ticker machines and have been held in Manhattan since the dedication of the Statue of Liberty in 1886. Other celebrations of monumental events include the return of the Apollo 11 crew from the moon 50 years ago this month, and Charles Lindbergh’s trans-Atlantic flight, as well as the welcoming of foreign royalty and of course, our sporting champions.
It ain’t cheap, by the way. The last parade, in 2015 for the last Women’s World Cup team, cost the city nearly $1.5 million. Private sponsors chipped in another $450,000, according to The New York Times.
Watch a replay by clicking here to view NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s YouTube channel.
