NBA Finals Watch Party Outside MSG Cancelled Hours Before Tip-Off

NEW YORK CITY — The watch party for Game 4 of the NBA Finals outside Madison Square Garden has been apparently cancelled.

Knicks owner James Dolan said in a radio interview with Craig Carton on WFAN that there would be no television screens outside the arena due to the new security measures from the NYPD and the city for Game 4.

The new development happened hours before tip-off for Game 4 at 8:30 p.m.

Earlier in the day, Dolan's company, MSG Sports, criticized the mayor and the NYPD in a statement.

"Mayor Mamdani's ‘granting’ of a watch party permit is disingenuous at best. It came with multiple conditions, including not allowing more than 1,000 spectators and demanding that they all must have a ticket. But more important is the Mayor's plan to freeze out fans from celebrating outside Madison Square Garden, which will turn the streets around MSG into a police state."

The NYPD announced that there will be a security perimeter around Madison Square Garden. The area will begin to close down starting at 4 p.m. with security checkpoints at various points.

Mamdani in a post on X put the blame on Dolan.

“MSG requested a permit for a watch party for 500-999 fans. We approved that permit for 999 fans. Mr. Dolan has now decided to cancel the watch party. I know this is breaking hearts across our city. But if there’s one thing Knicks fans don’t need permission for, it’s showing up for our team wherever we may be — no matter the block or the borough. Knicks in five.”

The security perimeter will run from West 29th Street to West 35th Street, between Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue.

Car and pedestrian traffic will be restricted from Seventh Avenue between West 29th and West 35th streets.