Madison Square Garden sharply rebuked New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday over what it described as excessive and misleading security restrictions surrounding Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
According to Mediaite, the dispute follows a series of heightened measures imposed around Game 3 with the arrival of President Donald Trump, when TSA-style screenings were required and multiple city blocks were shut down to both vehicles and pedestrians. Those restrictions also extended to fans outside the arena, as the NYPD scrapped the Gardens outdoor watch party, pushing crowds to an alternative event in Bryant Park that devolved into violence and led to nearly two dozen arrests.
Mayor Mamdani later announced that the official watch party would return for Game 4, but that other tight security protocols would remain in force. That partial rollback drew a fierce response from Madison Square Garden Sports Corp., which argued the mayor was still undermining fans ability to celebrate.
In a statement released Wednesday, the company charged that Mayor Mamdanis granting of a watch party permit is disingenuous at best. It added, 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 Mayors plan to freeze out fans from celebrating outside Madison Square Garden, which will turn the streets around MSG into a police state.
City records, however, suggest the Garden itself sought a cap on attendance, undercutting claims that the limit was imposed solely by City Hall. Heres MSGs permit application, shared by city official, reporter Katie Honan posted alongside the document, adding, The organization put in for between 500-999 fans. The option can go up 10,000 or more, per website.
Login