Jeremy Lin (credit: Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
NEW YORK (WFAN) – Taking in a Knicks or Rangers game at Madison Square Garden will be more expensive in 2012-13.
MSG announced Monday that tickets for the Knicks will jump an average of 4.9 percent. Rangers tickets will increase 9.5 percent on average.
It could be the cost of “Linning.” Fans have shown a renewed interest in the Knicks this year with the emergence of sensation Jeremy Lin. Meanwhile, the Rangers lead the NHL with 91 points.
But the Garden cited their upcoming second phase of renovations on the historic arena, which will include changes to the upper bowl.
“The upper bowl will offer larger, more comfortable seating and significantly improved sight lines as the incline for the upper bowl will increase 17 degrees, moving fans seven to 10 feet, or nearly three rows, closer to the action,” MSG said in a statement, adding that the price hikes will be “primarily focused on the upper bowl seats.”
MSG raised Knicks tickets 49 percent on average prior to the 2011-12 season. Rangers fans saw prices jump an average of 23 percent.
After last year’s announcement, NBA analyst Charles Barkley slammed it as a “flat-out disgrace.”
“Come on, that’s not fair at all,” Barkley told WFAN’s Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton. “To raise tickets that much, and I understand that all these guys are trying to make money, but 50 percent is a little extreme. Let me rephrase that, a lot extreme.”
The Knicks made the playoffs for the first time since 2004 last season behind Carmelo Anthony, but were swept by the Celtics in the first round. The franchise hasn’t won a playoff game since 2001.
What do you make of the price hikes? Be heard in the comments below…
