City Reverses Denial, Approves Outdoor Knicks Finals Watch Parties

New York City granted outdoor watch-party permits for Game 1 of the NBA Finals outside Madison Square Garden and at Central Park’s SummerStage after previously denying them; the reversal followed discussions among the mayor’s office, the NYPD and Madison Square Garden, with the Street Activity Permit Office having denied the earlier requests. The NYPD will staff both sites, and future outdoor watch parties will be decided case-by-case. The Knicks’ playoff run has generated an estimated $202 million in economic activity so far, potentially reaching $465 million if all home Finals games are played; MSG tickets to watch inside cost $10.