NEW YORK — Authorities canceled an NBA Finals viewing event near Madison Square Garden and advised New York Knicks supporters to arrive at Monday’s game at least two hours ahead of schedule due to heightened security protocols surrounding President Donald Trump’s attendance.
The president, who has long supported the Knicks, announced Friday his plans to attend New York’s first NBA Finals contest since 1999. During his current term, Trump has been present at several major athletic competitions, including the 2025 Super Bowl, Daytona 500 and Ryder Cup.
Among the consequences of the presidential appearance was the elimination of a Game 3 viewing event outside MSG. The New York Police Department announced Sunday that this choice was coordinated with the Secret Service.
“There will be no watch parties outside of Madison Square Garden for Game 3 only,” the statement said. “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.”
These gatherings, where thousands of supporters congregate to view games on large screens, have created challenges for the city’s law enforcement, even without presidential security complications.
Over two dozen individuals faced arrest when Friday’s viewing event extended into surrounding streets after the Knicks defeated the Spurs in San Antonio. Authorities said one woman was charged with striking a police officer in the face.
Prior to the NBA Finals, city officials had initially planned to eliminate outdoor viewing events at the arena entirely due to disruptive conduct at unauthorized gatherings, but later changed course and issued a permit for Game 1 last Wednesday.
Matt McCool, special agent in charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s New York field office, acknowledged that fans might feel disappointed given the Knicks’ remarkable playoff performance.
“At the same time, our responsibility is to ensure the highest level of public safety,” he said. “After careful coordination and assessment, the Secret Service and the NYPD jointly determined that outdoor watch parties could not be accommodated in the immediate vicinity of Madison Square Garden due to the security requirements associated with an event of this scale and the need to maintain a secure environment for protective operations.”
Official team viewing events will continue at Wollman Rink in Central Park and Brooklyn Bowl, according to the Knicks website. Both locations required advance registration and had reached capacity by Sunday afternoon.
Stringent guidelines were established for game attendees. The Knicks advised supporters to bring minimal items to Game 3 and urged arrival at least two hours before the opening tip as part of increased security protocols.
The team announced Saturday that a complete bag prohibition would be enforced and “TSA-style screening procedures” would be implemented for fans entering Madison Square Garden for the contest scheduled to start shortly after 8:40 p.m. EDT.
The Knicks stated that MSG would not provide storage for forbidden items brought to the venue. A complete list of prohibited materials is available at https://www.secretservice.gov/prohibiteditems.
