Transcript: Mayor Adams Appears On “Knicks Playoff Pregame” Before Knicks/Pacers Playoff Game

May 29, 2025

Alan Hahn: Here once again with hizzoner. Good to see you again. 

Mayor Eric Adams: You as well. Great seeing you. 

Hahn: How about this run by the Knicks? Just what are your impressions of just seeing the Knicks and the run they've had and the, of course, impact it's had on the fans all around the city?

Mayor Adams: No, and just real energy. You know, people are walking to their employment with a different step. They're feeling this pride. I don't think people fully impact when the Knicks are doing well, the city feels well, and it's just a real win.

Hahn: Yeah, you can definitely sense that. It's like a collective. You just kind of nod, you see another fan, some orange and blue on it. It's always a great thing. But there is also another impact that I've seen actually reported about this, the economic impact of the Knicks on a playoff run like we haven't seen in 25 years. What is that?

Mayor Adams: Dollars and cents, $377 million for the home games alone. Every additional game during the playoff is $91 million. And then it just goes even further, you know, the hot dog vendor, the people who are on the streets just bringing people in. 

This is a major victory. The ecosystem and the gravitational pull of the Knicks winning, everyone pulls into that orbit and it is just really reflective in our economy.

Hahn: I mean, it's perfect. The location, Madison Square Garden at the heart of New York City. And that, of course, being the epicenter. And one thing that I think a lot of people have enjoyed is the connection of the players to the city, literally, with some of the street signs and all the different jersey numbers. We see it right here with the different streets of the jersey numbers. What was this all about?

Mayor Adams: Real partnership with the MSG Madison Square Garden. And the numbers correspond to the players. And it's just a way of just really expressing. And my hats off to MSG. They didn't keep this just in the garden. 

When you think about the Oculus, when you think about Central Park. My son is down at Central Park right now. 

Hahn: The watch parties. 

Mayor Adams: That's right, the watch party. They creatively said that, “Listen, we're going to make every fan feel and share. How this is New York's team, and it's just been amazing. 

Hahn: Yeah, it has been. The support has been great, certainly. Seeing all this has been great. And what you want to make sure is that it keeps going.

Mayor Adams: Yes, yes, yes, yes. Tonight, you know, one game at a time. Let's make sure we just leave everything we have on the court. And we can bring this game home and continue to the remaining.

Hahn: Alright. Well, Bill, the mayor is here. He's got his rally towel. He's ready to go.

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