Trump Visit Cancels Knicks Watch Party Outside MSG
The New York Police Department said Sunday there will be no watch party outside Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday. The reason, officials said, is heightened security tied to President Donald Trump’s attendance.
The call was made with the U.S. Secret Service and came just over 24 hours before the New York Knicks were set to host the San Antonio Spurs. It also shut down the big outdoor gathering that had become a regular part of the Knicks’ playoff run.
“There will be no watch parties outside of Madison Square Garden for Game 3 only,” the NYPD said in its statement. “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.”
An MSG spokesperson gave a separate statement saying the permit for the Plaza33 Game 3 watch party was denied by the city’s permitting office in consultation with the NYPD. The statement added, “However, the White House will confirm that this is not about the president. We understand NYPD Commissioner Tisch is planning additional street closures around Madison Square Garden.”
Matt McCool, special agent in charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s New York field office, said the agency understood fans might be disappointed. He also made clear that safety came first. “At the same time, our responsibility is to ensure the highest level of public safety,” McCool 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.”
Crowd control had already been a problem. On Friday, more than two dozen people were arrested after postgame celebrations from the Knicks’ road win in San Antonio spilled into the streets near Madison Square Garden. The NYPD said one woman was accused of punching a police officer in the face.
Before the Finals began, the city first tried to cancel all outdoor watch parties around the arena because of unruly behavior at unofficial gatherings. That move was later reversed, and a permit was approved for Game 1 on Wednesday.
Team-sanctioned watch parties will still go on at other spots, including Wollman Rink in Central Park and Brooklyn Bowl. Both required advance registration and were already full by Sunday afternoon.
The Knicks also told fans to get to Game 3 at least two hours early because of the tighter security around the arena. Trump’s visit triggered those extra precautions in the area surrounding Madison Square Garden.
Trump has attended a string of major sporting events during his second term, including the 2025 Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, and the Ryder Cup.
The Knicks have not reached the NBA Finals since 1999, when they played the Spurs. Their last championship came in 1973 against the Los Angeles Lakers.