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The United States is known as the land of opportunity, a place where people can make their dreams come true and where a basketball game is one of the biggest spectacles around.
There are NBA fans all over the world, with many choosing to follow the “big” franchises, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks, whose appeal is added to by the fact they play at the iconic Madison Square Garden. Many have it on their bucket list, while celebrities are regularly spotted on the periphery of the action. You probably won’t be surprised to hear they don’t normally have to pay for their seats, although they do have certain obligations to fulfil if they are to get in for free, as per 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 on “celebrity row”, although not all of them will be getting complementary tickets again.
Why was Ratajkowski refused “celebrity row” seats?
Shayk and Ratajkowski hit the headlines after attending the Knicks’ dramatic victory over the Miami Heat on 25 November. The Floridians were well ahead going into the game’s final quarter but were ultimately shocked by a late rally by the hosts, which the two models missed after leaving a couple of minutes before the end.
That didn’t go down well with many fans, outraged that seats worth between $6,000 and $10,000 (in the regular season, more during the playoffs) were given away for free but left empty for such a memorable moment.
Such was the controversy, when Ratajkowski again tried to get complimentary tickets for the game against the Memphis Grizzlies a few days later, her request was denied by MSG owner James Dolan.
It was revealed in May by the New York Post the Knicks had been “flooded with requests” for “celebrity row” and that stars such as Rock, Roger Federer, Jessica Alba, Tracy Morgan, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle had been fighting out with former players, including Carmelo Anthony and Walt Frazier, to get seats.
What conditions must celebs meet to get court-side seats?
To watch the action at close quarters, celebrities must do more than simply fill out a request form. Those who receive a positive reply 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 a court-side “asset”, with some given the opportunity once to gauge public opinion when the “celebrity cam” lands on them.
Those who do get in must also fulfil several other duties, including taking part in interviews during breaks and time-outs, interacting naturally with other celebrities, giving off positive vibes and supporting the home team until the end of the game, which Shayk and Ratajkowski failed to do.
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