MSG Sports Blast NYPD, Mamdani Over Security Zone At NBA Finals Watch Party

NEW YORK CITY — Madison Square Garden Sports, the company owned by New York Knicks owner James Dolan, has criticized the mayor and the city's police commissioner over the planned security zone around the arena for a watch party Wednesday night.

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 for people going to the watch party outside the arena or bars and restaurants in the surrounding area.

MSG Sports in a statement said New Yorkers deserve an honest from Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

"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," they wrote.

"The Knicks’ victories are for all New Yorkers.

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."

MSG Sports also argued that issues that happened at the Bryant Park watch party on Monday are not related to blocks around MSG nor any other previously run MSG watch party.

"If the Mayor won't allow that, can he at least give Knicks fans an honest answer of why not? He can't blame it on the President. He is not coming to Game 4 and there is no reason to create a police state around The Garden."

The watch party outside MSG is set to return after being cancelled due to President Trump's attendance for Game 3.

According to the NYPD, everyone entering the area will be screened.

Wednesday's watch party is ticketed, and ticket holders must enter via the access point on the west side of Sixth Avenue at West 33rd Street.

The increased security measures has been criticized by MSG Sports.

The changes to the watch party comes after 21 people were arrested, and five police officers were injured following a watch party at Bryant Park on Monday.

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.

“As we prepare to watch together, let me be clear: this is a historic, joyful moment for our city. We will not allow it to be disrupted by violence," Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a previous statement.