The NBA Finals are returning to Madison Square Garden for the first time in 27 years, and ticket prices, as well as the team’s success thus far against the San Antonio Spurs, have been a hot topic.
But one player in the starting five believes it’s “ridiculous” to see thousands being spent on a single ticket to get into “The Mecca.”
Josh Hart spoke to reporters before Game 3 tips off on Monday night in The Garden, where he was asked about the ticket prices for Games 3 and 4 scheduled this week.
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“I kind of wish the ticket prices weren’t as crazy as they are,” Hart replied.
“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. “The cheapest ticket $7,000, $8,000. That’s ridiculous.”
Tickets soared after the Knicks held on to beat the Spurs, 105-104, to push their series lead to 2-0 heading into Game 3. Over the weekend, the get-in price on secondary ticket markets was as high as $10,000.
The tickets have since gone down, and some are pointing to the fact that President Donald Trump plans to attend Game 3. There will be enhanced security measures and heavy restrictions on what fans can bring inside the arena, with the Knicks saying in a statement that they should be arriving at The Garden around two hours before tip-off as to “allow additional time for screening and entry.”
Screening could be similar to that of a TSA line at an airport.
Trump was also asked about the ticket prices over the weekend, and his response was much different than Hart’s own.
“They can watch it on television,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Friday after being asked about the tickets to the game he’s expected to attend.
“It’s sorta semi-free to watch it on television. That’s the way life goes,” he added.
Monday night would mark yet another major sporting event Trump has been to since he was sworn in for his second term in office. He was at the Super Bowl in New Orleans two NFL seasons ago, while also attending the Daytona 500 and Ryder Cup.
For the Knicks, there is the possibility of a sweep in the best-of-seven series as they continue to match up with the Spurs in their building this time. Game 4 would be a potential championship-clinching tilt, and the ticket prices have also matched the moment.
The get-in price, per Gametime, is $10,097 as of Sunday night, and the maximum is $110,964.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver even commented on the Finals ticket prices, calling it “frustrating” that more people can’t afford to attend. But as a businessman at heart, Silver understands that the market is soaring considering the history at stake for the Knicks.
Either way, players like Hart, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are not focused on who will be in the building, even if the president of the United States is sitting courtside. They’ve been stoic in their responses despite their current 13-game win streak, understanding the “Job’s not finished,” as the late, great Kobe Bryant famously said when he was up 2-0 with the Los Angeles Lakers in a previous Finals against the Orlando Magic in 2009.
The Lakers didn’t end up sweeping Orlando, but they finished the series in five games.
The Spurs, meanwhile, are hoping to make this series much longer than the Magic did 17 years ago. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs will tip off against the Knicks at 8:30 p.m. ET on Monday night.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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