Billionaire owner of MSG and the New York Knicks, James Dolan, is not backing down on the use of facial recognition technology at MSG.
Appearing on WNYW’s Good Day New York, Dolan clarified the company’s position, saying, “The real issue is our policy of not letting attorneys who are suing us into our building until the litigation is done. When it’s done, they’re very much welcome back. This is not discriminatory and we will not back down – The Garden has to defend itself – our values are important to us.”
The comment comes on the heels of articles detailing the banning of lawyers who work for firms suing MSG through the use of facial recognition technology. A statement from MSG Entertainment stated its position on its adverse attorney policy and what it called ‘attempts by self-serving politicians to use this issue as a publicity and fundraising platform, instead of addressing issues that impact all New Yorkers such as crime and the economy.’
Dolan expanded on the recent bill introduced in the New York State Senate and Assembly, which seeks to curb the use of facial recognition technology to discriminate against paying ticket holders.
We urge our elected representatives to focus on causes that improve the quality of life for their constituents – such as addressing rampant crime and homelessness in the city, rather than taking up the cause of a small percentage of attorneys so they can attend Knicks and Rangers games. These elected officials are exploiting this issue for their own publicity and fundraising platform – going as far as to solicit donations.
Dolan also went on to suggest that alcohol sales would be banned at upcoming New York Rangers games, if the State Liquor Authority did not back down from threats to pull the venue’s liquor license.
The New York State Liquor Authority, for example, is way over its skis and being extremely aggressive, threatening to take away our liquor license. They’re doing this for publicity so we’re going to give them some publicity. In response to their threats, we could pick a night, and shut down all the alcohol in the building. We know our fans would be disappointed, but it’s important that we call attention to the SLA’s misguided threats to pull our liquor licenses under false pretense and with zero jurisdiction on this issue.
State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who introduced the bill and whose district includes Madison Square Garden, said in a statement
In his public meltdown on Fox 5 this morning, James Dolan showed why Albany should pass our legislation (S2424) and close the ‘sporting event’ loophole in our Civil Rights Law that allows Dolan to ban fans from Madison Square Garden using facial-recognition technology, simply because they work at law firms with clients he deems opposed to his financial interests.
James Dolan is the poster child of privilege, as someone who inherited his wealth and receives an annual $43 million dollar tax break from New Yorkers. Given Dolan’s condescending attitude towards the rest of us, it’s not surprising that he’s taken to criticizing the ‘Clean Slate’ bill to give New Yorkers with criminal convictions a second chance and publicly humiliating honest and hardworking civil servants like the CEO of the State Liquor Authority.
New York shouldn’t allow petty tyrants to impose their warped fantasies on the public while reaping millions each year from taxpayer subsidies. I’m grateful to both the New York State Attorney General and the Manhattan District Attorney for launching inquiries into Dolan’s vindictive business practices intended to silence his critics.
MSG Entertainment shared the following positions towards efforts by the NYS Legislature to stop the use of facial recognition technology.
Our Policy and Our Rights:
- Attorneys who have filed a lawsuit against MSG Entertainment are not welcome in our venues while litigation is ongoing. When the litigation is resolved, they will be welcomed back.
- This includes attorneys representing ticket scalpers, personal injury claims and class action litigations, but does not include claims related to sexual harassment or employment discrimination.
- MSG Entertainment is a private business, and in full compliance with all applicable laws – it is also within our right to implement and to enforce this policy, which is specific to lawyers pursuing active litigation against the Company.
Who These Attorneys Really Are:
- The attorneys we are prohibiting from attending include ambulance chasers and money grabbers whose business is motivated by self-promotion and who capitalize on the misfortune of others.
- These are attorneys that are defending the ticket scalpers who make getting tickets for the average game and concert-goer next to impossible and exorbitantly expensive.
Our Policy and Facial Recognition:
- We have effectively used facial recognition since 2018 as one of our tools to provide a safe and secure environment for our customers and ourselves.
- In addition, we use it as a tool to keep adverse attorneys out of our venues.
We Are Unequivocally Open to the Public:
- Our venues are absolutely and unequivocally open to the public – we host more than five million people a year and temporarily preventing access to a small percentage of attorneys who are involved in active litigation against MSG doesn’t change that.
- This policy does not unlawfully prohibit anyone from entering MSG Entertainment’s venues and it is not our intent to dissuade attorneys from representing plaintiffs in litigation against the Company. This is not an attack on lawyers. We are merely excluding a small percentage of lawyers and only during active litigation.
Elected Officials and Their Real Agendas:
- No matter where you stand on the policy, everyone can agree it shouldn’t be this high on our elected officials’ agenda.
- We urge our elected representatives to focus on causes that improve the quality of life for their constituents – such as addressing rampant crime and homelessness in the city, instead of choosing to attack the economic engine, job creator and community beacon that is MSG.
- Some elected officials are using this as a publicity and fundraising platform, when they should be focusing attention and resources on pressing issues facing New Yorkers – homelessness, the economy, and crime to name a few. One of our electeds is already exploiting his press coverage in solicitation emails.
- Attorney General Letitia James has every right to ask questions, but to suggest anyone is being excluded based on the protected classes identified in state and federal civil rights laws is ludicrous. Our policy has never applied to attorneys representing plaintiffs who allege sexual harassment or employment discrimination.
Our Commitment to New York City:
- MSG Entertainment is invested in the success of New York City and in the fan experience – and we work hard to create a welcoming atmosphere – focused on warmth, enjoyment and safety for everyone. And we’re proud that MSG is the safest venue in the country.
- For over 140 years we have been proud to be a center of New York cultural life – millions of people have attended once-in-a-lifetime events at our venues, and continue to do so in record numbers.
Our Continued Cooperation With State Agencies:
- We’ve been extremely cooperative and forthcoming with all state agencies – even those that don’t have any oversight or authority to take a position on this matter – they have every right to ask questions but we also expect that they give us the opportunity to explain our position.
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