There will be no watch party outside Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, when the New York Knicks return home for their first championship game in nearly three decades. But the city is adding a watch party at Bryant Park to give fans a new spot to gather.
A spokesperson for the NYPD said the decision was made in coordination with the Secret Service because of President Donald Trump’s visit. The spokesperson added that watch parties were expected to resume outside Madison Square Garden for Game 4 on Wednesday.
A Secret Service spokesperson said the restriction applies only to the area immediately surrounding Madison Square Garden.
Fans will still be able to gather at watch parties in Central Park, Brooklyn Bowl and now at Bryant Park. The city announced the addition of the Bryant Park watch party early Monday. The party, which will host up to 5,000 people, is free and open to the public, but registration is required.
“These watch parties have become a celebration of New York City itself,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement.
The Knicks are in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 and are seeking their first championship since 1973. Game 3 on Monday night will be the Knicks’ first home game of the finals matchup against the San Antonio Spurs.
A spokesperson for the Secret Service said the agency and the NYPD jointly determined that outdoor watch parties could not be accommodated near Madison Square Garden because of security requirements associated with an event of this scale.
People who’ve managed to get tickets will face heightened security measures with Trump in the building.
Fans will not be allowed to bring bags into the arena, the Knicks and the U.S. Secret Service posted on social media Saturday. Selfie sticks, weapons, glass containers and various other items will also be prohibited, according to a list shared on the Secret Service website.
The Knicks said on social media that spectators should expect airport-style screening procedures and encouraged people to arrive at least two hours before tip-off at 8:30 p.m.
Before stepping off at the Queens Pride Parade, NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch told Gothamist there will be extra security at the Knicks game on Monday night.
The NYPD is also planning additional street closures around Madison Square Garden, according to an MSG spokesperson.
The heightened security measures are another burden for fans who have faced skyrocketing ticket prices to get into Game 3. The cheapest ticket available on TickPick on Sunday morning was listed at $8,282.
Police arrested 26 people at the watch party for Game 2 outside Madison Square Garden on Friday night.
The Knicks will be back at the Garden for Game 4 on Wednesday night. Trump has not said he plans to attend that game, and the NYPD said it expects watch parties outside Madison Square Garden to resume.
Jill White contributed reporting to the story.
This story has been updated with additional reporting.