Dear Basketball Press, the Miami Heat Don't Play in South Beach

Hey Basketball Press, How you doing? Remember us? We're the ones who told you to stop picking on Miami Fans (as well as some other gripes we might have aired over the years). Listen, we know this kind of seems nitpicky, but we're heading into year four of this and...

By Kyle Munzenrieder

October 30, 2013

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Hey Basketball Press,

How you doing? Remember us? We're the ones who told you to stop picking on Miami Fans (as well as some other gripes we might have aired over the years). Listen, we know this kind of seems nitpicky, but we're heading into year four of this and it's really starting to get annoying. So, we'd really just like to inform you of the factual information that the Miami Heat don't play in South Beach.

Quick geography lesson: Colloquially you can call anything in Miami-Dade County "Miami." That's fine, but there is an actual city of Miami in the center of it all. In fact, that's where the American Airlines Arena is. That's where the Heat play. The downtown area of the city of Miami.

Now South Beach is part of the city of Miami Beach. Technically, a distinct city.

Here, let us show you a map.

Kinda close, except for that giant bay in between.

Yet, somehow you seem to keep implying that the Heat play in South Beach.

A look at the Heat's back-to-back championship rings, presented tonight in South Beach. http://t.co/4yJpVFStRW (via @MiamiHEAT)
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 30, 2013

OK, we understand that LeBron announced his decision to sign with the Miami Heat by announcing he's taking his talents to South Beach. We know. We watched. The joke is old.

Plus, you guys are supposed to be something like journalists. You're supposed to traffic in facts.

And, you know, it just kind of comes off as disrespectful. The vast majority of this team's hometown fans don't live in South Beach. Hell, you want to see some of the most impassioned post-championships celebrations head out to Hialeah or Calle Ocho come next June.

Lots of NBA teams play in cities with famous neighborhoods or districts, but we don't hear you talking about the Times Square Knicks, the Williamsburg Nets, The Hollywood Lakers ... the Cinderella's Castle Magic. It's time to cool it with all the South Beach talk when it comes to the Heat.

Sincerely,

Miami

P.S. While we're at it we'd like to point out that the Miami area has plenty of other fine restaurants to offer besides Prime One Twelve, but maybe that's another post.

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