Watch party bans, road closures and bag bans in place as US President Trump plans to attend Game 3 with Knicks in lead.
Road closures, no watch parties, bag bans and a gauntlet of security measures will greet fans when they arrive at Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals, as United States President Donald Trump descends on the heart of Manhattan to watch the New York Knicks play the San Antonio Spurs at home.
The Knicks have defied the odds to build a 2-0 head start in the best-of-seven series before their first home game of the finals on Monday.
The New York side won two games on the road as French superstar Victor Wembanyama has failed to meet expectations in the championship series for the Spurs.
With nearby MetLife Stadium set to host its first of eight World Cup matches in a week, the NBA Finals have taken the spotlight from the huge global tournament in New York – for now – with even the cheapest tickets available on resale platform StubHub topping $9,000 as of Saturday night.
The Secret Service urged ticket holders to arrive early to the self-styled “World’s Most Famous Arena”, which sits above the busiest transit hub in the US, Penn Station, and will see the NBA Finals for the first time in more than a quarter-century with Trump in attendance.
“Attendees should anticipate hard street closures in the immediate area surrounding Madison Square Garden,” Secret Service Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi said.
“A strict no-bag policy will be enforced, and we want to communicate that early and broadly so fans can plan accordingly. Attendees should also expect Secret Service-level security screening, similar to airport screening procedures.”
Train services on the local subway and Long Island Rail Road commuter line are expected to continue uninterrupted through Penn Station.
The Knicks said in a statement: “Fans should make every effort to limit personal items to an absolute minimum.”
In addition, there will be no watch party outside the venue, the New York Police Department announced in a statement.
“The permit for the Plaza33 Game 3 watch party was denied by the city’s permitting office in consultation with the NYPD,” the statement read. “However, the White House will confirm that this is not about the president. We understand NYPD Commissioner [Jessica] Tisch is planning additional street closures around Madison Square Garden.”
The NYPD, though, pointed to the visit as the reason, leaving the door open for a potential watch party for Wednesday’s Game 4, which would be a clinching opportunity should the Knicks win on Monday night.
“There will be no watch parties outside of Madison Square Garden for Game 3 only,” the statement read. “This was done fully in coordination with the Secret Service because of the presidential visit. We expect watch parties at Madison Square Garden to resume for Game 4.”
Trump has routinely harnessed sport’s spotlight in his second term, becoming the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl last year before attending other marquee events later in the year, including the Ryder Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup final.
Thousands of ticket holders missed the start of the US Open men’s tennis final in September, when security checks related to Trump’s attendance caused confusion and slowed entry to the event.
“To ensure timely entry and avoid delays, we strongly encourage fans to arrive at least two hours before tip-off. While final operational details are still being coordinated, this is the planning framework we currently expect and can be reported as such,” Guglielmi said.
The Knicks have not won the title since 1973, and their first trip to the Finals since 1999 has electrified the five boroughs.
Some 6,500 fans flooded the area outside Madison Square Garden for a watch party on Friday night, when the Knicks managed a spine-tingling 105-104 win over the Spurs to take a 2-0 lead in the series.
New York City police said they arrested 17 individuals at the event, including one who struck a police officer in the face. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged fans to “celebrate responsibly”.
“New Yorkers are rightfully excited about the Knicks’ historic Finals run, and we want fans to celebrate this moment together. There is, however, no place for violence, and no tolerance for attacks on police officers,” Mamdani said in a statement on Saturday.
A lifelong Knicks fan, Mamdani has made multiple appearances at local sporting events since he won the mayoral election last year, and told New York radio station 1010 WINS that he planned to attend the game on Monday.