Knicks Fans Consider San Antonio for Cheaper NBA Finals Experience

Fans of the New York Knicks might find it more economical to fly to San Antonio for an NBA Finals game instead of purchasing tickets at Madison Square Garden (MSG). Current ticket prices for a Knicks home game are close to $4,000 each. CNN highlighted this huge price difference on Wednesday, just hours before Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Analyst Matt Egan commented, “It absolutely would be cheaper to fly to San Antonio for a game.” He explained that Knicks fans could afford round-trip airfare for $700 and book a few nights at a hotel there for $600. Fans could attend both Game 1 and Game 2 of the Finals with expenses totaling about $3,100, well below the nearly $4,000 ticket cost at MSG. The trip also offers the added experience of a few days in Texas.

Egan noted that some Knicks fans have already done the math. Data shows 30% of Game 2 tickets in San Antonio were sold to New Yorkers. Tickets for Games 1 and 2 in San Antonio are priced at around $750 and $1,100, respectively. Meanwhile, courtside seats near Celebrity Row at MSG reach up to $220,000 each.

Investment banker Sal Galatioto addressed the soaring prices, saying, “Even the wealthy fans are getting priced out.” He added, “I’m a huge Knicks fan. Would I spend $100,000 to see a game? No way. Not even if you held a gun to me.”

In the backdrop of these prices, Knicks fans are excited about the Finals, as the team reached this stage for the first time since 1999. The Knicks are hunting their first championship since 1973, and many anticipate the excitement will increase if the series extends to a Game 6 at MSG.

The NBA has faced criticism recently, yet genuine enthusiasm surrounds this Finals matchup. Part of the interest comes from the Knicks’ return and the emergence of Spurs’ star Victor Wembanyama, who has captured fans’ attention at 22 years old.

TickPick’s head of marketing, Matt Ferrel, explained, “The NBA Finals at the Garden are having a Super Bowl moment, price-wise. I’ve never seen anything like this.” Like the earlier Super Bowl, former President Donald Trump announced plans to attend a Finals game at MSG. Trump revealed, “I think I’ll be going to one of the games. I was invited by numerous people, and [James Dolan], and I think I’ll be going.”

The Knicks enter the series as +155 underdogs, fueling discussions and anticipation around this year’s Finals.