Key Points
- Ticketmaster said no valid Game 5 tickets have been or will be canceled.
- A 150-mile radius rule had restricted purchases near Frost Bank Center.
- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul publicly criticized the policy.
- The Knicks lead the Finals 3-1 entering Game 5 in San Antonio.
Ticketmaster moved to defuse a ticketing controversy hours before NBA Finals Game 5, saying no valid tickets for the Knicks-Spurs game in San Antonio would be revoked. "No tickets purchased on Ticketmaster for this game have or will be canceled," the company said.
The restriction
The dispute began when Ticketmaster listings limited Game 5 purchases to buyers within 150 miles of Frost Bank Center, based on credit-card billing address, and warned that out-of-radius orders would be canceled without notice. Reports framed it as the Spurs moving to block traveling Knicks fans from a potential closeout game. San Antonio described the rule as standard postseason practice, intended to "prioritize local fans across San Antonio, Austin and surrounding communities."
The backlash
The policy drew national criticism, including from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who posted on X: "Knicks fans finally get within one game of a championship, and their reward is having their tickets canceled?" Madison Square Garden Sports, which owns the Knicks, said it had confirmed with Spurs ownership that no Knicks fans' tickets would be revoked and that all ticket holders would be admitted. Ticketmaster clarified that the radius rule was applied at the time of purchase, so anyone holding a valid, authenticated ticket will get into the arena.
The stakes
The distinction matters for fans who already bought in, many through resale: Ticketmaster's clarification means a valid, transferred ticket still scans at the gate, because the radius rule blocked only new purchases at checkout, not tickets already in hand. The noise surrounds a team on the brink. The Knicks lead the series 3-1 and can win their first championship since 1973 with a road victory tonight, after erasing a 29-point deficit to steal Game 4. Game 5 tips at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
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