How Mamdani made the Knicks game accessible to New Yorkers after James Dolan MSG snub

PoliticsSports
11 Jun 2026 • 9:45 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

How Mamdani made the Knicks game accessible to New Yorkers after James Dolan MSG snub

  • A dispute erupted between New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York Knicks owner James Dolan regarding the cancellation of an NBA Finals Game 4 watch party.
  • Mayor Mamdani announced that Madison Square Garden canceled the event despite the city approving a permit for 500-999 fans.
  • MSG countered, claiming the permit came with multiple restrictive conditions and criticized the mayor for an excessive police presence, which they called a “police state.”
  • In response to the cancellation, Mayor Mamdani arranged for the game to be broadcast on LinkNYC wi-fi terminals across the city.
  • The controversy follows previous complaints from MSGS about police presence at Game 3, which they initially linked to Donald Trump's attendance, and prior incidents of violence at other watch parties.

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