2-minute read
Phil Murphy talks 2026 FIFA World Cup at NJ budget address
During his 2026 New Jersey budget address, Gov. Phil Murphy discussed the upcoming FIFA World Cup plans.
The American Dream megamall in East Rutherford is giving away two free tickets to a 2026 FIFA World Cup match at adjacent MetLife Stadium, as well as tickets to the Red Bulls home opener, field-level New York Yankees game tickets, and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
The tickets will go to some of the first 250 guests that show to the mall’s indoor amusement park on Black Friday next week on Nov. 28.
Those first 250 guests will be able to either spin a prize wheel at Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park to win tickets or strap into the Double Dare Human Crane, a life-size version of the claw machine at the indoor theme park.
Story continues below photo gallery
Doors open for Black Friday at Nickelodeon Universe indoor amusement park at 6 a.m., the mall announced in a press release.
There will also be free rides on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle-themed Shellraiser roller coaster and free admission to the Paw Patrol Hero Academy, as well as free ice skating between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m.
Holiday shopping opens at 7 a.m. that day.
Other prizes include a 25-person ticket for the theme park and for DreamWorks Waterpark, four tickets each to the New York Yankees game, the New York Red Bulls home opener game and Radio City Christmas Spectacular, TV sets, and gift cards for stores in the mall such as Canada Goose and Saks Fifth Avenue.
Beyond shopping to experiences and events
Adam Petrick, the mall’s chief marketing director, said that venues like American Dream — the second largest mall in the country — have to go beyond “transactional retail experiences,” especially when consumers are tightening their belts and looking to stretch their limited dollars.
“What we’re trying to do is light up the center with events,” he said in a recent interview.
Traditionally, Black Friday has marked the start of the holiday shopping season. But with the advent of online shopping, which drastically expanded during the pandemic, holiday shopping has started as soon as Amazon Prime Day early in October.
With that in mind, malls have heavily relied on events to bring out the winter shopping crowd, said Charles Cristella, managing director for national retail at JLL. “You go and see Santa Claus, you go for brunch, you go for ice cream cones,” he said in an interview.
Despite years of inflation and the uncertainty of President Donald Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs, holiday events at the malls are still “going to be big,” Cristella added.
“People still need something to celebrate right now,” he said. And the longer shoppers stay at the mall, the more money they spend, he said.
Daniel Munoz covers business, consumer affairs, labor and the economy for NorthJersey.com and The Record.
Email: munozd@northjersey.com; Twitter:@danielmunoz100, Facebook and Instagram
