Zohran Mamdani Takes Shot At New York Knicks Ticket Prices After MSG Sales Pause

Zohran Mamdani has a ticket problem of his own ahead of the Knicks' return to Madison Square Garden. The New York mayor joked about the high prices after MSG Sports paused individual ticket sales following a pricing mistake.

Asked by NBC New York if he would attend the October 20 opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, Mamdani said, “Brother, I do not have $2,000 ready for that ticket.” He then welcomed the idea of sitting higher up, saying, “That's what I'm talking about.”

Zohran Mamdani Calls Out New York Knicks Ticket Prices

Mamdani's comments came as the Knicks dealt with a ticket issue that quickly became a major talking point. Individual tickets for the 2026-27 season went on sale this week, with some seats for the opener listed above $1,000. The game will feature the defending champions against LeBron James and Philadelphia.

Reuters reported that the get-in price reached $1,251 after tickets became available, while TicketData recorded a peak of $1,408 during the early sales period. Front Office Sports reported that the cheapest listed seat had been around $1,000. Those were primary-market prices, not simply resale listings from fans.

MSG Sports later paused individual ticket sales and said there had been “a mistake in our pricing.” The company said tickets would return to last season's prices with an average 12% increase. Anyone who already bought a ticket at the higher price will receive a refund for the difference.

Zohran Mamdani And James Dolan Have New York Knicks History

The ticket comments add another chapter to Mamdani's public relationship with Knicks owner James Dolan. The two had already clashed during the 2026 NBA Finals after a planned public watch party for Game 4 was canceled following a dispute involving the city, Madison Square Garden and security.

Their exchange became even more visible during the Knicks' championship celebration in June. Mamdani hosted the team's first ticker-tape parade and City Hall ceremony, while Dolan later told the crowd, “I don't need your vote,” before adding, “If you're real Knicks fans you know it already.”

Mamdani has also spoken about sports ticket prices before. During his mayoral campaign, he called for lower-cost World Cup access for New Yorkers, and he later said sports “should not become a luxury commodity.” His latest Knicks comments now come as MSG prepares to restart individual ticket sales at corrected prices.