Madison Square Garden Welcomes Back Fans For 1st Time Amid COVID

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — For the first time since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Knicks fans will flock to Madison Square Garden on Tuesday after the state allowed sports arenas to reopen at limited capacity.

About 2,000 fans will be allowed to attend Tuesday night's game between the Knicks and the Golden State Warriors — the Garden's first game with fans in the crowd since March 8, 2020.

Tipping off at the same time across town, the Brooklyn Nets will welcome back about 300 fans at Barclays Center for the first time since last spring.

"It means a lot to New York, it means a tremendous amount for us," Knicks player RJ Barrett told reporters on Tuesday. "I miss that joy and happiness of having the fans there, cheering."

The reopenings come after Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced earlier this month that sport and music arenas could reopen at 10 percent capacity. He cited the state's "unparalleled success" in a pilot program that let 7,000 fans attend Buffalo Bills games during the playoffs.

“I missed that joy and happiness of having the fans there cheering so it’s very exciting.”

RJ & Julius after Tuesday's shootaround:
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) February 23, 2021

To attend a game at Madison Square Garden or any other arena, customers must present proof of a negative PCR test for COVID-19 taken within 72 hours of gameday — though some experts have questioned whether that requirement would catch all cases of COVID-19.

Precautions will also include temperature checks, socially-distanced seating and face-covering requirements.

Between 3:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, a rapid COVID-19 testing site will also open at the Stewart Hotel next door to the arena, open to a limited number of guests, MSG said.

"While we’re not where we want to be yet – with every seat filled – this is an important first step," Madison Square Garden said in a statement last week.

This year's Knicks may also be a more attractive spectacle than the woeful squads of past years: at 15-16, the team stands a chance of making the playoffs. The return of basketball will be followed closely by hockey, when the New York Rangers welcome back their own fans on Friday.

MSG officials said that season ticket holders for the Knicks and Rangers will have priority when it comes to purchasing tickets, which will begin at $50. Because capacity limits are so low to begin with, officials said they do not expect tickets will be made available to the general public.

Joining us for tonight’s @NYKnicks game? Be sure to visit https://t.co/kHOuY2WtMz for important things you should know so that everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience at The Garden. pic.twitter.com/nIXgCdOvvq
— MSG (@TheGarden) February 23, 2021

The Knicks and Rangers will both honor essential workers at each home game, officials said.

"We want you to know that your health and safety remain our top priority, and we have worked closely with state and health officials to develop the strongest operating protocols with the goal of providing a safe and enjoyable experience," MSG officials said last week.

Find an overview of Madison Square Garden's reopening rules here.

Patch reporters Anna Quinn and Jeff Arnold contributed.