How James Dolan Decides the Knicks’ Movie star Row at MSG
Photograph: Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Pictures
The New York Knicks’ shock run deep into the playoffs has been filled with A-lister sightings on the ground seats of Madison Sq. Backyard’s “Movie star Row” — pleasant glimpses of the wealthy and well-known trying as thrilled and tormented as the remainder of us. Look, there’s Larry David, characteristically agitated by a Tyrese Haliburton buzzer beater, or Timothée Chalamet freaking out with Ben Stiller over an unlikely bucket. Channeling town’s hopes and goals of a championship after a 52-year drought: Stars, they’re identical to us!
But when the movie star reactions are natural, their precise seating association on the courtroom is something however. MSG and Knicks proprietor James Dolan himself apparently decides who will get to take a seat the place — and when.
Insiders who previously labored on the Backyard or in movie star concierge providers in professional sports activities say that scheduling to fill Movie star Row can start about three weeks earlier than recreation evening. MSG staffers on the small crew coping with VIP shoppers will contact managers and brokers, determining who is obtainable for video games. Typically, they are going to overbook to make sure a well-known face is within the entrance row in case somebody drops out. If everybody reveals up, B-listers are ushered to different enviable seats that aren’t “toes on the ground.” And fashions can all the time be counted on to fill a spot at a late hour. “You’ll do these asks extra final minute to fill in these holes,” says the previous movie star concierge. The crew additionally takes care to not seat well-known exes subsequent to one another — a problem when, say, Pete Davidson is in the home. (This can be a consideration that different franchises don’t all the time consider, like when Timothée Chalamet was seated just some rows in entrance of his ex, Lily Rose-Depp, at a Los Angeles Lakers residence recreation within the first spherical of the playoffs.)
All this planning can apparently change on recreation day with the snap of an government finger. After the seating plot is seen by the heads of communications and movie star relations, it goes to MSG’s micromanager-in-chief, James Dolan, who, I hear, tends to have a look a number of hours earlier than tip-off. “Nobody can go to their seats till he blesses each single recreation the place persons are sitting,” says the concierge.
The seats are free, however movie star friends are reminded that they’re being watched always — on TV, on the jumbotron, or by different followers — and suggested to be on their finest conduct. “There are positively occasions the place you need to have these awkward conversations and reduce individuals off as effectively,” mentioned the celeb concierge. A bartender would possibly let a higher-up know that somebody well-known is getting visibly tipsy. “And we simply deal with issues very subtly and discreetly and ensure that nobody else is round if these conversations do must occur,” the concierge mentioned. (An MSG consultant didn’t reply to a request for remark.)
If you happen to’re a star who desires in on these tickets, it helps to be versatile about which video games you possibly can attend. However come playoff time, “buddies of the Backyard” get precedence. In trade, these well-known followers — assume Chris Rock, Jon Stewart, John McEnroe, Dangerous Bunny, Fats Joe — are anticipated to wave to the digital camera and do some promo for MSG or its Backyard of Goals Basis. On uncommon events, they’re even known as on to assist recruit gamers to signal with the Knicks, like when the late James Gandolfini recorded a video in-character as Tony Soprano to promote to LeBron James on the tristate space. (James took his abilities to South Seashore.)
Earlier than the sport and at halftime, celebs are invited to the proprietor’s suite, the place previous caterers have included Jean-Georges and Tau. Entrance-row friends can’t linger too lengthy; they’ve received to get on the courtroom the place the gang can see their faces.
Over time, a lot of these faces change; Donald Trump and Diddy aren’t coming to video games anymore for apparent causes. One can even turn into un-friended by the Backyard. In 2018, Dolan reportedly banned Woody Allen from Suite 200 — not for allegations of sexual abuse however as a result of he refused to do promo. The identical yr, Ethan Hawke claimed he misplaced his front-row privileges after he doubted Dolan’s personnel choices on a radio present. In 2023, Emily Ratajkowski was reportedly denied free seats after she and mannequin Irina Shayk left a recreation within the fourth quarter simply earlier than a 21-point Knicks comeback. “She was provided, and is welcome, to purchase nice seats any time,” an MSG spokesperson advised “Web page Six” on the time.
After all, true supporters don’t wait to see the place the Backyard will seat them. The MSG insider mentioned Spike Lee, the best Knicks fan of all time, pays for his tickets. He can’t afford to be distracted by the seating video games of movie star row.
