Topline
Ticket prices to get in to game 3 of the NBA Finals have dropped nearly 50% in the day leading up to the New York Knicks clash against the San Antonio Spurs, down to just under $5,000 from a sky-high cheapest entry price of nearly $10,000 on Friday night after the Knicks took a 2-0 lead in the championship series.
Key Facts
The cheapest re-sale seats in the rafters of Madison Square Garden were listed for $4,864 late Monday morning on StubHub, $4,877 on SeatGeek and $5,446 on Vivid Seats.
On TickPick, where the cheapest resale ticket for game 3 was $9,995 on Friday afternoon, the lowest-priced ticket Monday was $5,341.
The price drop comes after the Knicks recommended ticket holders arrive at MSG two hours before the 8:30 p.m. tipoff time Monday night to accommodate extra security measures for President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohan Mamdani, both of whom are expected to attend the game.
Ticket prices for Wednesday’s game 4—potentially a championship-clinching game for the Knicks in their home arena—are still much higher, with a get-in price of $9,153 on TickPick.
CRUCIAL QUOTE
“I kind of wish the ticket prices weren’t as crazy as they are,” Knicks forward Josh Hart said Sunday. “I feel like a lot of people who have been waiting for this moment for a very long time unfortunately aren’t able to get into the building.”
Key background
Ticket prices for game 3, the first finals game at Madison Square Garden since 1999, exploded on Friday after the Knicks took a 2-0 series lead. Controversy about who gets to participate in historic sports moments ensued, and sparked a debate about whether professional sports are increasingly becoming an experience only the wealthy can afford. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., slammed Trump (who was reportedly invited to attend by his friend and billionaire Knicks owner Jim Dolan) and said he “embraces” the high prices: “His whole administration is about subsidizing the lifestyles of the rich and shameless, and trying to make life better not for working-class Americans, but for the wealthy, the well-off, and the well-connected.” When a reporter pointed out to Trump that everyday Americans can’t afford to attend historic sporting events, Trump responded, “You can watch it on TV. It’s sort of semi-free to watch it on TV. That’s the way life goes.”
what to watch for
The Knicks-Spurs game is scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m. EDT on Monday. The game will be broadcast by ABC and will stream live on the ESPN app. A watch party planned for Monday outside of MSG was canceled for security reasons amid Trump’s appearance, but NBA watch parties at other locations in the city are expected to continue as planned. The San Antonio Spurs will host watch parties at The Rock at La Cantera and the Frost Bank Center.
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