Madison Square Garden ban against attorney, plaintiffs over lawsuit is lifted by New York judge

Madison Square Garden cannot ban a high-profile New York attorney, his colleagues, or his clients from its venues in retaliation for an ongoing lawsuit against the Knicks and Rangers’ parent company, according to an injunction filed by a local judge.

Attorney Larry Hutcher, a Knicks season-ticket holder for nearly a half century, filed a complaint against Madison Square Garden Entertainment last month, claiming that he and roughly 60 colleagues from his firm were barred from MSG venues after becoming counsel for 24 ticket resellers who had sued the company. Hutcher claims he later received a letter explaining that he and his colleagues were barred and that his season tickets would be revoked.

But on Monday, New York County Supreme Court judge Lyle E. Frank granted Hutcher an injunction, ruling that he, his colleagues and his clients cannot be banned MSG Entertainment venues. However, Frank did make a distinction in his ruling, allowing the NHL’s Rangers and NBA’s Knicks to continue banning Hutcher and his clients. Hutcher tells DailyMail.com that he will appeal. 

‘Very pleased with the decision,’ Hutcher told DailyMail.com, who said he plans on attending concerts at MSG in the near future. ‘Whether it’s Billy Joel next week or something else, I will be there with bells on.

‘This is the first time the court has held there is limitations on a venue operator.’ 

Attorney Larry Hutcher (pictured), a Knicks season-ticket holder for nearly a half century, sued Madison Square Garden Entertainment last month, claiming that he and roughly 60 colleagues from his firm were barred from MSG properties after becoming counsel for 24 ticket resellers who in a legal battle MSG. Hutcher claims he later received a letter explaining that he and his colleagues were barred and that his season tickets would be revoked

New York Knicks owner James L. Dolan sits courtside during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on February 2

Hutcher is hardly the first high-profile fan to be banned by MSG and its owner, James Dolan, who has famously barred Knicks legend Charles Oakley from the arena. Oakley, who already had an acrimonious relationship with Dolan, was arrested on February 8, 2017 after being physically removed from his seat by arena security during a Knicks game against the Los Angeles Clippers. 

Spike Lee, a longtime Knicks fan, boycotted the team in 2020 after an incident with security, but has since returned to the arena. Other critical fans have also been banned from the arena at various times. 

‘I was aware that they had engaged in this conduct with other parties,’ Hutcher told DailyMail.com. ‘But I had been representing ticket brokers for well over 20 year and I felt I had an obligation to them.’

Hutcher described MSG’s bans as ‘arbitrary and capricious.’  

DailyMail.com is still awaiting comment from an MSG spokesperson.

On Monday, New York County Supreme Court judge Lyle E. Frank granted Hutcher an injunction, ruling that he, his colleagues and his clients cannot be banned MSG Entertainment venues. However, Frank did make a distinction in his ruling, allowing the NHL’s Rangers and NBA ‘s Knicks to continue banning Hutcher and his clients

MSG is still being sued by two dozen Knicks and Rangers season ticket holders, who had been reselling tickets. The plaintiffs claim MSG cancelled their season tickets to increase the company’s profits in violation of New York’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Law.

‘MSG’s end game is to reclaim the tickets, create a monopoly, and reap a windfall by selling the tickets exclusively through its own ”authorized” out-of-state reseller,’ read the September 7 filing. ‘Currently, face-value tickets can only be purchased directly from Ticketmaster or the Garden’s box office.

‘After many years of relying on [the local resellers] to purchase Knicks and Rangers season tickets at exorbitant prices when the teams (sic) respective performance and records were abysmal, MSG has in utter bad faith elected to not renew [their season tickets].’

Last month, Hutcher revealed that his colleagues and clients learned that they were banned from MSG and its other properties.

‘I had people that had tickets for Eric Clapton and concerts at the Beacon; they couldn’t use them,’ Hutcher told The New York Times. ‘They are angry at me. They go, ”What did we do?”’

One low point came during the 2016-17 season when Oakley, a retired Knicks star, was ejected from MSG and accused of being an alcoholic by Dolan, who has admittedly gone through rehab himself. Oakley, who already had an acrimonious relationship with Dolan, was arrested on February 8, 2017 after being physically removed from his seat by arena security during a Knicks game against the Los Angeles Clippers. He was later charged with two misdemeanor counts of assault, one misdemeanor count of aggravated harassment, and one misdemeanor count of trespassing. Television cameras showed Oakley shoving security guards a short distance from the Knicks bench, and MSG would ultimately release witness statements from a dozen employees who encountered Oakley that night, alleging that he was physically and verbally abusive. One Garden employee alleged Oakley shouted, ‘All of you suck Dolan’s d***!’

Director Spike Lee, left, gestures in a hallway on the event level at Madison Square Garden while arguing with security officers who didn’t want to permit him to access his courtside seat

Just days after the lawsuit was filed, Hutcher was the recipient of a letter from the senior vice president for legal and business affairs at MSG Entertainment, Hal Weidenfeld. The letter revealed that, like other lawyers embroiled in legal matters against the company, every associate at Hutcher’s firm is prohibited from entering all of the organization’s sites until the lawsuit is resolved.

The Knicks and Rangers’ parent company has since explained that it instituted a policy in June banning attorneys at firms engaged in litigation against MSG from attending its venues until the complaint is resolved. 

‘While we understand this is disappointing to some individuals, MSG has both a right and obligation to protect itself during litigation procedures,’ an MSG spokeswoman  in October. ‘We cannot ignore the fact that litigation creates an inherently adversarial environment, and an ancillary consequence of that is our need to protect against improper disclosure and discovery.’

Hutcher has owned Knicks season tickets since 1976.

The die-hard Knicks fan was even gifted a team jersey six years ago with the No. 40 on it, as a symbol of his 40th year as a season-ticket holder. He also owns a signed picture of Knicks legend Bernard King and was singled out in a game last October by the Knicks organization for his loyalty to the franchise.