New York Knicks fans are obviously excited to have their team return to New York City with a chance to close out the NBA Finals on their home court. The only problem is that the average New Yorker won’t be able to watch it in person.
While NBA commissioner Adam Silver isn’t necessarily happy about the soaring ticket prices, it sounds like he also acknowledges that there is not much he can do about it.
Soaring Ticket Prices
Knicks hold a commanding 2-0 series lead over the San Antonio Spurs as the NBA Finals shift to New York City. With the next games set to be played at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks now have an opportunity to potentially clinch the championship on their home floor. However, for many fans, witnessing the moment in person is simply out of reach.
As Monday night’s Game 3 matchup approaches, ticket prices have climbed to staggering heights. On secondary ticket marketplaces, the least expensive seats available were being listed for roughly $8,000, putting attendance well beyond the budget of the average fan.
Tickets are even more expensive for Wednesday night’s Game 4, when the Knicks could potentially clinch their first NBA Championship since 1973 pending Monday’s result. For Wednesday’s game, the cheapest tickets to even get into the arena are currently more than $11,000, with most tickets listed at more than $20,000.
Given that the median annual income for an individual in New York City is only around $41,000, these ticket prices are far out of reach for the typical New Yorker.
Adam Silver Frustrated
NBA commissioner Adam Silver admitted that it’s “frustrating” that so many people have been priced out of attending the NBA Finals games. However, he also defended the pricing a little bit by saying that the price is simply dictated by the market.
“Obviously there’s only so many tickets to these games,” Silver told reporters, including Yahoo Sports’ Dan Devine.
“It’s frustrating that more people can’t get into buildings, and more people can’t get into buildings at lower prices,” he continued. “But markets are markets when it comes to — especially with a secondary market, the value of tickets.”
United States President Donald Trump, who is set to attend Game 3 on Monday night, took a similarly dismissive stance when asked about his attendance at a game that the average New Yorker could never afford, saying “that’s just the way life goes.”
“You can watch it on television,” Trump said this week. “It’s sort of semi-free to watch it on television.”
This could be a legendary week for the New York Knicks and their fans. Unfortunately, only the wealthiest among them will have a chance to witness it in person.
About Dave Kelsey
Contributing author to The Comeback.