The 2023-2024 NHL and NBA seasons were very successful for New York, as the New York Rangers made the playoffs, clinching the number one seed in the East, and the New York Knicks made the playoffs, clinching the number two seed in the East.
The Rangers fought their way to the Eastern Conference Finals, but lost in six games to the Florida Panthers. It was a motivating run as they won 55 games during the regular season and received the Prince of Wales Trophy. The Knicks made it to the second round after defeating the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round, but were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in seven games. Despite the loss, the fans treated the Knicks to a standing ovation.
The Knicks and Rangers both play their home games at Madison Square Garden. This generates substantial revenue for the arena. In the summer of 2023, MSG set a revenue record at $887 million dollars. The teams improved a lot more this season as they moved up to higher seeds, and this led to an increase in fans attending MSG.
“The Rangers have improved upon their play over the years and this year they brought a playoff-caliber team,” sophomore Lorenzo Rios said. “The environment in MSG is unforgettable and it’s the best arena in the world to watch the best sport. My friends and I have become so tied to this team and star players like Igor Shesterkin.”
Hockey is a game that is played on the ice, and basketball is played on high quality hardwood. Since MSG holds both sports, they have to constantly switch the rink with the court. The ice is underneath the hardwood and is covered by insulated material. The way the arena creates ice is by the workers spraying water over the rink and then the pipes in the concrete freeze the water. To switch back to the court, the walls and glass panels are taken away. Then insulated plywood covers the ice surface and after the hardwood is placed on top.
“I find it really impressive how the workers switch from ice to hardwood,” junior Sahir Bhatia said. “It shows how hard the workers have to work and how much time they put in their jobs.”
With the two teams making playoffs, MSG is filled with ecstatic New York fans. These fans get to witness their teams compete for the top seed and take home the hardware after having impressive regular seasons.
“The Knicks and Rangers had great seasons so there’s a reason why so many fans show up,” junior Christopher Munge said. “I’ve been to many Rangers games during the regular season and playoffs and the arena is electric.”
MSG provides fans memorable experiences through their commitment in hosting numerous sports.
“I love MSG; the food is great, the atmosphere is electric and seeing the New York teams win is very motivating for every fan,” junior Tyler Lopez said.
