Inside The World Of Celebrity Row At A New York Knicks Game
Sitting in courtside seats at a New York Knicks home game at Madison Square Garden would be a dream come true for many Knicks or NBA fans. Not just for the opportunity to hear the players and experience a sporting event on the actual playing surface itself, but for the incredible people watching.
Similarly to the courtside seats at home games for the Lakers, it's a veritable Who's Who of celebrities, personalities, and athletes from other sports. And a former Knicks executive explained to Front Office Sports how all those celebrities find their way to the most visible locations in the arena.
Spoiler alert: it's a mutually beneficial quid-pro-quo arrangement between the famous fans and MSG management.
According to the report, the Knicks back office, likely all the way up to team owner Jim Dolan, make decisions on a case-by-case basis of who they'd like to comp tickets for, based on who they determine is the most famous…or most willing to film promotional spots for the team and the arena.
And if those celebrities are selected, they're provided with the kind of resources and amenities most fans can only dream of. Secluded, private entrances. Elevators the public can't access. The best food and alcohol, and an invitation-only back room called Suite 200, a sort of hospitality setup where the rich and famous can mingle amongst themselves.
Must be nice.
NEW YORK - Chris Rock and Ben Stiller attend the game between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks during Round 2 Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on May 8 at Madison Square Garden. Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Knicks Celebrities Can Have Their Access Taken Away Too
While some celebrities pay, and some studios pay for season tickets to help showcase an actor or actress with an upcoming release, others are comped by the team. In exchange for help promoting the team.
According to Front Office Sports, "VIP guests comped by the Garden are expected to say cheese on the celeb cam during games, film promotional spots for the arena and MSG Network, support the Garden of Dreams charity foundation, and even help recruit players."
Infamously, though, certain celebrities have taken advantage of the Knicks hospitality. Emily Ratajkowski was essentially cut off from the comp treatment after leaving a Knicks game early.
READ: Emily Ratajkowski May Be Banned From MSG's Celebrity Row For Leaving Early From Knicks Game
Ethan Hawke once told Bill Simmons that after he publicly spoke out about Jim Dolan's coaching hires, his free tickets were cut off. As Hawke explained, "And then I called up one time and they said, ‘That’ll be $7,800. … And I was like, ‘Wow, this is real.’"
But play ball, as Liam Neeson or Ben Stiller do, and the golden treatment continues.
Working for high-level individuals, you see how these types of relationships play out. Celebrities enjoy the status and promotional opportunities being photographed courtside at MSG offers, and the team creates an aura of importance and "it" status by attracting celebrities.
And for representatives, agents, or managers, securing a prime seat for a client is gold. Nothing shows how much "juice" you have in the industry like being able to lock down a comped courtside ticket with access to the invitation-only private suite, secure parking and private elevators.
Celebrities, meanwhile, despite having millions of dollars at their disposal, never want to pay for anything. For them, their very presence is worth whatever the cost of the ticket is. And much more.
It's as eye-roll worthy as it sounds. But with the Knicks enjoying a 2-1 series lead over the Indiana Pacers and hunting an NBA Finals appearance, the celebrity requests at MSG will only get worse. Pity the poor employees tasked with keeping them, and Jim Dolan, happy.