The United States is known as the land of opportunity, a place where people can achieve their dreams and where a basketball game is one of the greatest spectacles there is.
There are NBA fans all over the world, and many choose to follow the “big” franchises, like the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks, whose appeal is added by the fact that they play at the iconic Madison Square Garden. Many have it on their bucket list, while celebrities are regularly spotted on the outskirts of the action. You probably won’t be surprised to learn that they don’t normally have to pay for their place, although they do have certain requirements to meet to get in for free according to NBC Sports.
John McEnroe, Spike Lee, Michael J. Fox, Anne Hathaway, Ben Stiller, Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Rock, Irina Shayk and Emily Ratajkowski are among those who have been spotted in ‘celebrity row,’ although not all will benefit again additional tickets.
Why was Ratajkowski denied seats in “celebrity row”?
Shayk and Ratajkowski made headlines after attending the Knicks’ dramatic win over the Miami Heat on November 25. The Floridians were well ahead heading into the final quarter of the match, but were ultimately shocked by a late rally from the hosts, who both missed after leaving just minutes before the end.
This was not well received by many fans, outraged that seats worth between $6,000 and $10,000 (in the regular season, more in the playoffs) were given away for free but left empty for such a memorable moment.
Such was the controversy when Ratajkowski again attempted to obtain free tickets to the game against the Memphis Grizzlies a few days later, his request was denied by MSG owner James Dolan.
This was revealed in May by New York Post the Knicks had been “flooded with requests” for “celebrity row” and stars such as Rock, Roger Federer, Jessica Alba, Tracy Morgan, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle fought with former players including Carmelo Anthony and Walt Frazier, to get places.
What conditions do celebrities have to meet to get courtside seats?
To follow the action closely, celebrities need to do more than just fill out an application form. Those who receive a positive response become “friends” of the Garden and can access the guest stands, catering and other VIP areas.
At this point, a committee assesses whether these “friends” are famous enough to be considered an “asset” in the field. Some once had the opportunity to gauge public opinion when the “celebrity camera” landed on them.
Those who enter must also complete several other tasks, including participating in interviews during breaks and downtime, interacting naturally with other celebrities, giving off good vibes, and supporting the home team until the end of the match, which Shayk and Ratajkowski failed to do so.
2023-12-26 21:28:58
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