Zohran Mamdani has put the blame on James Dolan after the planned New York Knicks Game 4 watch party outside Madison Square Garden was cancelled.
The cancellation landed only hours before the Knicks faced the San Antonio Spurs , turning what was supposed to be another citywide Finals celebration into a public argument between City Hall and MSG.
For fans hoping to gather outside the Garden, the timing made the decision sting even more. Mamdani made clear that, from his side, the city had already signed off on the event.
Photo by John Nacion/WireImage
Zohran Mamdani on X said Madison Square Garden had requested a permit for a smaller outdoor watch party and that the city approved the highest number within that request.
"MSG requested a permit for a watch party for 500-999 fans. We approved that permit for 999 fans," Mamdani began.
He added, "Mr. Dolan has now decided to cancel the watch party. I know this is breaking hearts across our city."
The statement was a direct response to the idea that City Hall blocked the event. Mamdani instead framed Dolan as the person who pulled the plug after the permit had already been approved.
That made the cancellation another flashpoint in a Finals week that has already included Trump-related security, Game 3 violence, and disagreements over how fans should be allowed to gather around MSG.
The back-and-forth began after MSG pushed against the city's security restrictions for Game 4, with Dolan arguing that tight crowd limits and frozen zones around the Garden were killing the celebration.
City officials had reason to be cautious after Game 3, when crowds near watch-party areas became chaotic, 21 people were taken into custody, and several officers were injured.
The city then approved a controlled, ticketed event for 999 fans rather than a wide-open street gathering. Mamdani still tried to leave Knicks fans with a rallying message after the cancellation.
"But if there's one thing Knicks fans don't need permission for, it's showing up for our team wherever we may be — no matter the block or the borough. Knicks in five," the NYC Mayor concluded.
The watch party may be gone, but the dispute is not. Dolan says the city made celebration impossible, while Mamdani says MSG asked for a permit, got it, and then cancelled anyway.
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