Madison Square Garden and the New York Knicks aren’t backing down in their feud with the city over the watch party for Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
In a statement released Wednesday, just hours before tipoff, the team criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for limiting the ticketed watch party outside the arena to 1,000 attendees in an enclosed area, while keeping other people on the street away. The Knicks said the limitations “will turn the streets around MSG into a police state” during the evening’s game against the San Antonio Spurs.
“The Knicks’ victories are for all New Yorkers,” MSG said in a statement. “We wish everyone could see the games live. Watch parties and public celebrations are a way for every Knicks fan to enjoy this special time. These fans want to celebrate together. They want to celebrate at the Mecca of basketball.
“This is not about watch parties; it’s about celebrating wins.”
Mamdani addressed MSG’s complaints at a news conference, saying the Garden applied for a gathering of 500 to 1,000 people, and was approved for the maximum amount. The mayor said the security measures outside the arena are similar to those the New York Police Department uses for gatherings of this size during occasions like July 4 or New Year’s Eve.
“We want to encourage every New Yorker to celebrate in this moment, to do so responsibly, and to be looking out for one another through it all,” Mamdani said. “We want this to be a memorable night for all the right reasons.”
The NYPD said in a statement that “MSG applied for a permit for a watch party tonight for 500-999 people. New York City approved that permit for 1,000 people. The NYPD had set up for that watch party, but you would have to ask MSG if they are going to follow through or not.”
The public spat between the Garden and city officials flared on Tuesday night, when MSG released a statement calling NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch and Mamdani the city’s “biggest party poopers” for putting security restrictions around the Garden for Game 4.
There were significant security measures in place at the arena for Monday’s Game 3, which was attended by President Donald Trump. Those measures included a steel fence, limited access points and restrictions on what attendees could bring to the game.
As an additional security measure, a watch party that had been scheduled for outside MSG was moved to Bryant Park. Even so, that event, which attracted an estimated crowd of 7,000, was marred by violence and rowdiness after the Knicks lost to the Spurs. More than 20 people were taken into custody, five NYPD officers were injured and video footage showed people in San Antonio Spurs apparel being verbally and physically harassed.
MSG’s statement Wednesday cited outdoor watch parties for the 2025 finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers — as well as the finals in 2019 (Toronto Raptors versus Golden State Warriors), 2023 (Denver Nuggets versus Miami Heat) and 2024 (Boston Celtics versus Dallas Mavericks) — to argue for fewer restrictions around Game 4.
“Issues that happened at the Mayor’s Bryant Park watch party (a city-run watch party) are not related to blocks around MSG nor any other previously run MSG watch party,” MSG said in its statement Wednesday. “Additionally, there have been minimal problems in other cities where NBA Final watch parties occurred, and they have had successful experiences around those respective arenas.”
