Mayor Mamdani pays just under $1K for Knicks Game 3, as the Garden is blocked off for security
President Trump and Mayor Mamdani are both expected to watch the game inside the Garden.
New York City is decked out in orange and blue as the New York Knicks return home for Game 3 of the NBA Finals. But the highly anticipated matchup is also bringing heightened security measures and major disruptions around Madison Square Garden.
Watch parties typically held outside the arena are canceled for the night as President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend the game.
Instead, thousands of fans are being directed to city-run viewing events at Bryant Park, Wollman Rink and Brooklyn Bowl.
The NYPD said it coordinated with the Secret Service to implement what officials described as proactive safety measures.
Trump and Mayor Zohran Mamdani are both expected to watch the game inside the Garden.
Ticket prices surged into the thousands of dollars, even for upper-level seats, drawing attention to how much the mayor paid and where he would be seated.
Mamdani said he purchased his ticket directly from Madison Square Garden.
“I bought my tickets for nearly $1,000 from MSG,” he said. “I will be going to tonight’s Game 3, and I’ll be standing for the duration of the game.”
The mayor did not specify when he bought the tickets, but had previously told reporters he planned to attend.
Streets between West 30th and West 35th streets, from Sixth to Eighth avenues, will be closed from 4 p.m. and throughout the duration of the game as part of a security perimeter established by the NYPD and Secret Service.
Only individuals with game tickets, train tickets or valid business credentials were permitted inside the restricted zone.
Everyone entering the area, including commuters and people visiting bars and restaurants, will go through TSA-style security screenings conducted by the NYPD.
The increased security presence came a day after an incident inside Penn Station in which six people were stabbed.
The NYPD said that the case falls under the jurisdiction of Amtrak Police.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the department significantly increased staffing in and around the transit hub.
“There will actually be more cops in and around the Penn Station area because the NYPD is doing such a large deployment, both above and below ground,” Tisch said.
Officials said the measures were necessary given the scale and nature of the event.
Watch parties outside Madison Square Garden are expected to resume for Game 4, though officials said details are still being finalized.
