Ticketmaster says Knicks fans can attend Game 5

Ticketmaster and the San Antonio Spurs moved Saturday to reassure New York Knicks fans that previously purchased tickets to Game 5 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio would be honored, after a geographic ticketing restriction triggered alarm among fans and sharp criticism from New York officials.

The concern began after Ticketmaster posted a notice saying sales for the game would be restricted to customers living within a 150-mile radius of San Antonio, where the Spurs host the Knicks on Saturday night at Frost Bank Arena. The notice said new orders from outside that area would be “canceled without notice and refunds issued.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul condemned the policy on X, writing: “Knicks fans finally get within one game of a championship and their reward is having their tickets canceled?”

“Thousands of New Yorkers bought tickets, booked flights, and made plans in good faith,” Hochul wrote. “Ticketmaster and the Spurs should reverse this decision and let the fans who bought those seats keep them. Until then, on behalf of Knicks fans everywhere, I’m calling foul.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James also called for the restriction to be lifted. “My office is demanding the @spurs remove this policy and allow @nyknicks fans and anyone who can buy tickets for tonight’s game to be able to attend,” James wrote on X. “Let’s go Knicks.”

Ticketmaster said the policy applied only to new ticket orders and that no tickets already purchased through its platform “have or will be canceled,” the BBC reported. “If fans are purchasing tickets on Ticketmaster, they can be confident that they’re getting a real, authenticated ticket that will get them into tonight’s game,” a Ticketmaster spokesperson told the BBC.

A Spurs spokesperson told the BBC that people whose billing ZIP code falls outside the designated area “are unable to complete a ticket purchase subject to that restriction,” but added that “tickets that have been previously purchased are not being canceled or revoked.” Ticketmaster said residency is determined by the credit card billing address.

The Spurs said the geographic limits were introduced during the playoffs and remain in place through the NBA Finals. The team said the policy is intended to prioritize “local fans across San Antonio, Austin and surrounding communities.” According to the BBC, the restriction has been in place since the NBA playoffs began in April, but panic grew after TMZ reported on the Ticketmaster notice Friday night.

Madison Square Garden, home of the Knicks, said it had confirmed with Spurs ownership that tickets would not be revoked. “Contrary to prior reporting, we’ve confirmed with Spurs ownership that they will not be revoking any tickets that Knicks fans have to tonight’s game in San Antonio and all ticket holders will be allowed in to Frost Bank Arena,” the arena said in a statement. “We look forward to tonight’s game.”

After the clarification, James wrote: “I’m glad our Knicks fans will be able to attend the game tonight in San Antonio. Go Knicks!”

Ticketmaster said geographic restrictions are common for high-demand events to give local fans a chance to attend. Similar rules were used when the Knicks played the Pistons in Detroit during the NBA playoffs last year, and the Yankees limited American League wild card ticket sales to residents of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

The dispute comes with the Knicks leading the series 3-1. A win Saturday would give New York its first NBA championship in 53 years. This year’s Finals have drawn celebrities including Kylie Jenner and Taylor Swift, as well as President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Representatives for the NBA did not immediately return requests for comment, NBC News reported.