Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Knicks fans get outdoor MSG watch party after city reversal
By
Charles Lane
Published Jun 3, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images
By
Charles Lane
Published Jun 3, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
New York City officials have approved Knicks watch parties outside Madison Square Garden and in Central Park for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday. This comes after the city denied permits for similar events last week because the NYPD said some events had become too rowdy.
The city granted a permit for a watch party outside Madison Square Garden, on 33rd Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues, and a second event at SummerStage in Central Park after discussions among the mayor’s office, the NYPD and Madison Square Garden, a City Hall official said. The NYPD will staff both sites.
The permits cover Wednesday only, and officials said they will weigh whether to approve outdoor watch parties at future games on a case-by-case basis.
The playoff run has been a financial boon for the city, officials said Wednesday. The Knicks’ postseason has generated an estimated $202 million in economic activity so far and could reach a cumulative $465 million if the team plays all of its possible home games in the NBA Finals, according to the city’s Economic Development Corporation. Each additional home game is expected to generate about $90 million, the agency said.
"New Yorkers have been waiting 27 years for this moment," Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement.
The about-face follows the Street Activity Permit Office’s decision last week to deny applications for outdoor watch parties at the Garden for both NBA Finals games. That office, which sits in the mayor’s office and makes the final call on permits, had earlier sided with the NYPD, which recommended against the gatherings.
An NYPD spokesperson declined to explain the reversal but said the events are meant to be safe and fun. The department does not issue the permits and only makes recommendations to the city, police said.
Impromptu screenings near the Garden grew rowdy at earlier moments during the Knicks’ playoff run. A spontaneous gathering outside the arena last month drew an estimated 6,000 people who brawled, climbed light posts and drank in the street, police said. Six people were arrested. A separate event on Memorial Day resulted in six summonses for disorderly conduct. The NYPD blamed some social media accounts for riling up the crowds.
The Knicks return to the NBA Finals on Wednesday night for the first time since 1999, with Game 4 scheduled back in Madison Square Garden on Monday, June 8.
Tickets to watch the game inside the Garden can be purchased for $10, according to MSG.
Tagged
new york city
public safety
sports
Charles Lane
Charles is a Day-of reporter focused on breaking news and enterprise. He’s very friendly and can be reached at [email protected], or more securely on whatsapp/signal 631-295-6715
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NYC tow companies busted for ripping off drivers must give $67K in refunds, city says
Mayor Mamdani has expanded enforcement on towing scams, but the unlicensed towing industry remains largely unregulated.
By
Liam Quigley
Published Oct 2, 2026 at 4:47 p.m. ET
Off-duty NYPD officer stabbed in the Bronx, police say
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Commissioner Jessica Tisch visited the officer in the hospital.
By
Ryan Kost
News
Off-duty NYPD officer stabbed in the Bronx, police say
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Commissioner Jessica Tisch visited the officer in the hospital.
By
Ryan Kost
DOC negligence factored in death at Rikers' Bellevue hospital outpost, jail officials say
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Conductor on NYC subway that dragged man to death may have skipped safety check, source says
By
Stephen Nessen
NYPD still searching for man who threw burning substance on victim in East Harlem
By
Ryan Kost
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .