NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 18: Jalen Brunson and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani attend a championship celebration and Key to the City ceremony at City Hall Plaza after a ticker-tape parade honoring the New York Knicks' NBA Finals victory in New York City on June 18, 2026. (Photo by The Hapa Blonde/GC Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 18: Jalen Brunson and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani attend a championship celebration and Key to the City ceremony at City Hall Plaza after a ticker-tape parade honoring the New York Knicks' NBA Finals victory in New York City on June 18, 2026. (Photo by The Hapa Blonde/GC Images)
The New York Knicks, the 2026 NBA champions, are set to raise their banner on opening night against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 20 at 6:30 PM (ET) in an iconic matchup.
But New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has confirmed he will not attend, despite being a major Knicks fan. Speaking to NBC New York, Mayor Mamdani cited the team’s exorbitant ticket prices for the coming season as his reason for not attending the game. Here’s a transcript of his conversation.
Reporter: “Knicks, will they repeat?”
Mayor Mamdani: (crosses his fingers) “Come on, hopefully at cheaper ticket prices.”
Reporter: “Will you be at the opening when they raise the banner?”
Mayor Mamdani: “Brother, I do not have $2000 ready for that ticket.”
Reporter: “What about the nosebleeds?”
Mayor Mamdani: “That’s what I’m talking about.”
Ever since Zohran Mamdani took office, his relationship with the Knicks has been turbulent. From criticizing their 2026 playoff ticket prices to a political beef with chairman James Dolan over conflicting claims about doing what the people want.
Initially, Mayor Mamdani hilariously pointed to Trae Young as the reason for the Knicks’ hiked playoff ticket prices before pointing out how they signify that sports have wrongly become a luxury commodity.
After President Donald Trump’s historic attendance at the NBA Finals, Zohran Mamdani locked horns with James Dolan, who even called the NYC Mayor a ‘fake’ Knicks fan, before they eventually resolved their issues.
At one point during the NBA Finals, ticket prices were so high that two front-row seats for a potential Game 6 reportedly cost fans over $1 million.
So, seeing Mamdani voice his concerns about the Knicks’ ticket prices again could mean he is still not on the best terms with the franchise. Moreover, as a Democratic Socialist, he’s more likely to raise concerns about social issues like this, where the rich benefit while struggling people don’t.
Knicks Admit Ticket Prices Blunder
On September 17, the Knicks released a public statement admitting they made an error in the first rollout of tickets for the season. They halted individual game ticket sales because of a pricing error.
“We are pausing Knicks individual ticket sales due to a mistake in our pricing. We are rolling back to last year’s prices plus an average increase of 12%. We will restart sales with new prices shortly, and anyone who already purchased individual tickets will be refunded the difference.”
“Our intention was never to overcharge our loyal fans, and we thank everyone for their support of the Knicks and their patience as we get this right,” the statement read.
According to the New York Post, the listed ticket prices for the season opener against the 76ers began at $2,219 and were expected to exceed $4,000 on SeatGeek. But with this rollback, the Knicks fans will have another chance to get a ticket for this iconic season opener.
The Knicks’ ticket-pricing error and subsequent rollback highlight a larger conflict between sports as a cultural institution and sports as a luxury good.
Despite being a devoted fan, Mayor Mamdani’s open refusal to attend reflects a sentiment that many New Yorkers share. As the banner-raising night draws near, it remains to be seen if this correction will be sufficient to rebuild goodwill.