The New York Knicks are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999, and the insane prices for NBA Finals tickets for Games 3 and 4 in New York’s Madison Square Garden are their own story. Presale tickets started at nearly $2,000 and went up from there, and on the resale market, tickets are going for as much as $85,000 right now. The demand is that high.
Which is why the Knicks are donating 250 free tickets to underprivileged youth for each Finals game, through the team’s Garden of Dreams Foundation. That’s 500 total free tickets for Games 3 and 4, and if there is a Game 6, it’s another 250.
“We are proud to create meaningful, once-in-a-lifetime experiences for underprivileged youth in our local communities,” Rich Constable, EVP, global head of government affairs & social impact at MSG Entertainment, said in a statement. “Making sure underserved youth are part of the Knicks Finals run is extremely important to the Knicks, ensuring the next generation of fans can be part of the story.”
No matter the ticket price, only so many people can fit into Madison Square Garden. That has led New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani to work to set up free parties around the city where fans can gather and watch the games together (and safely).
“We’re going to have watch parties across this city. We’re incredibly excited about those watch parties,” Mamdani told reporters at a separate event, according to The Athletic.
Wherever the fans are watching, the city has come alive with the Knicks’ success, and the energy in New York next week will be like nothing we’ve seen in at least 27 years.
The NBA Finals start on June 3, with Games 1 and 2 hosted by either Oklahoma City or San Antonio, depending on which team advances from the ongoing Western Conference Finals (OKC leads 3-2).
Read the full article here