Topline
Ticket prices for Game 3 of the NBA Finals surged after the New York Knicks took a 2-0 series lead against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night, to nearly $10,000 as Madison Square Garden prepares to host President Donald Trump and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani for its first Finals game in 27 years.
Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball against Victor Wembanyama #1 and De’aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs.
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Key Facts
The cheapest resale ticket for Game 3 is $9,995, according to TickPick, a more than twofold increase from the cheapest ticket price ($4,247) a few days before the championship series started.
The get-in price for Game 4, which could potentially be the Knicks’ crowning moment if they manage to sweep the Spurs, is pricier, coming in at $12,736 on TickPick.
If the series extends past Game 4 and goes back to San Antonio, Game 5’s get-in price stands at $1,309, with the get-in price for Game 6 at Madison Square Garden surging back up to $12,846.
What To Watch For
The get-in price for a potential Game 7 is $3,389 as of Saturday, according to TickPick, though that price tag is almost certain to skyrocket the longer the championship series goes on.
Who Is Attending Game 3?
Trump is attending the game after accepting an invite from Knicks owner James Dolan and has said he may attend Game 4. Mamdani’s office said he has paid for his own ticket to Game 3, with the mayor noting he will “be in a very different section” from Trump. Director Spike Lee and actors Tracy Morgan, Ben Stiller and Timothée Chalamet are expected to be at the game rooting for the Knicks.
Chief Critic
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., blasted Trump and the ticket prices in New York, telling MeidasTouch, “The higher ticket prices clearly are something that he embraces,” adding, “his whole administration—is about subsidizing the lifestyles of the rich and shameless, and trying to make life better not for working-class Americans, but for the wealthy, the well-off, and the well-connected.” Jefferies predicted Trump will not be received well if he appears on the jumbotron at Game 3, saying it is “very likely” the president will be booed. Trump received a mix of boos and cheers while attending the U.S. Open Men’s Final in New York last year.
Key Background
The exorbitant ticket prices for Game 3 and 4 far exceed the average rent in Manhattan which is $4,167 per month, according to Apartments.com. For the price of a single Game 3 ticket, you could buy nine, 10-gram gold bars from Walmart priced at $1,056. The hype driving ticket prices is likely rooted in Knicks fans’ rabid loyalty to the team, as well as the fact that the Knicks have reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999, when the team lost to the Spurs 4-1. The Knicks’ odds of capturing the NBA championship reached 79% following their win Friday, according to Kalshi, where $275 million worth of predictions have been made on the outcome of the series.
