Overview
- Asked about the price gap on Thursday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani joked that he “blames Trae Young,” then said tickets should be priced so more New Yorkers can attend.
- Young replied on X later Thursday, telling the mayor to remember 2021 and adding “#DontBlameMeWhenItHappensAgain,” a nod to his past Knicks playoff upset.
- Young now plays for the Washington Wizards after a February trade and will not be in the Knicks–Hawks first round that opens Saturday, April 18, at Madison Square Garden.
- Listings cited by outlets showed MSG entry prices in roughly the $300–$600 range, while comparable seats in Atlanta were about $80–$100, a gap driven by high demand and resale dynamics that can price out local fans.
- Mamdani’s comment tapped a live rivalry born in 2021, when then-mayor Bill de Blasio criticized Young before the Hawks beat the Knicks 4–1, and it helped turn a one-liner into a wider debate over who can afford big-game tickets.