The NBA just did something leagues almost never do: side against one of its own owners, in his own market, during the Finals.
Live broadcast rights are the most protected asset in sports. Disney and friends paid $76B in the latest media deal partly for moments exactly like this. Bars need licenses just to show games. Yet within hours of James Dolan pulling the plug on the watch party outside his own arena, the league cleared New York City to stream Game 4 free on public street furniture.
Dolan's stated reason for canceling: a 999-person cap was an insult when "we're about millions of people."
So the city took him literally. LinkNYC runs roughly 2,000 kiosks across the five boroughs, built on the corpse of the old payphone franchise. Dolan controls the Garden. The city controls every sidewalk around it.
One detail makes the whole thing sting. MSG requested the 999-person permit itself, then canceled when it was approved.
Owners win these standoffs when they own the only screen in town. Dolan just found out the city has two thousand of them.
I’m in midtown now and can’t emphasize enough how full of shit Dolan was on that interview with @craigcartonlive. The only pedestrian perimeter is th one block surrounding MSG on each side. It isn’t the sam perimeter as the other night with Trump in town. All bars accessible.
Dolan was sooooo close…
He had generated positive PR (one of the few times in the two decades he’s wowed the team) by just keeping quiet and letting the Knicks success speak for itself.
But he just couldn’t leave well enough alone.
First, he invites Trump to MSG, which infuriates and inconveniences countless fans.
Now he gets in a pissing contest with the Mayor and police commissioner.
Injecting unnecessary drama, negativity and dissension into what had been an incredibly unifying communal experience
Two viral, seemingly-organic Knicks fan moments from the streets of NYC turned out to have ties to Kalshi and Polymarket.
How prediction markets are trying to capitalize on the ground during the Knicks' title run ⬇️
https://t.co/3l2WWSrFMq
You got streamers cosplaying as Knick fans, dudes literally playing caricatures of the 2021 sidetalk Knick fans and it all being funded by Kalshi. None of that is real bro
The @nyknicks are home and our city is ready to show out.
We’re hosting a free watch party for 5,000 New Yorkers tonight in Bryant Park.
You can register at the link below starting at noon today: https://t.co/Te8eGk5TwW
Patrick Ewing to kids: “ We have a surprise—you guys will be coming to the game tonight”
(Cheers)
“Not only tonight but also Wednesday night”
(CHEERS)
Craig Melvin: “What they don’t realize is that’s like $250,000 😆”