“Brother, I do not have $2,000” – NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani has a problem with the ticket prices of the Knicks’ season opener

The New York Knicks gave the “City That Never Sleeps” the title it had been waiting for, and now Madison Square Garden is ready to celebrate again. Jalen Brunson and the Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals to win the series 4-1, bringing the Larry O’Brien Trophy back for the first time since 1973.

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Brunson was the superstar for Knicks fans, averaging 32.6 points in the Finals, scoring 45 in Game 5, and winning the unanimous Finals MVP.

Now, the Knicks are set to raise the championship banner on October 20, before hosting the Philadelphia 76ers at 7 p.m. ET in the season opener. But there is just one problem for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, which may keep him from seeing it.

Mamdani is concerned about the pretty big price tag

Speaking with NBC New York, Mamdani was asked whether the Knicks would go back-to-back, and he crossed his fingers before giving an answer that quickly turned toward the hefty price of watching them in person.

“Come on, hopefully at cheaper ticket prices,” Mamdani said.

Thereafter, he was also asked whether he would be at the season opener when the Knicks raise their championship banner.

Zohran added, “Brother, I do not have $2000 ready for that ticket.”

Mamdani was referring to the cheapest Knicks-Sixers tickets reportedly available on SeatGeek, which were listed at $2,219 with fees. Moreover, tickets in the 100 level started at $3,479, also including fees.

This is not the first time Mamdani has expressed concern about the Knicks’ ticket prices, speaking about the same issue during the team’s playoff run. His relationship with the franchise has also included a public disagreement with chairman James Dolan over their respective views on how to serve New York City.

But that does not appear to have changed how Mamdani feels about the man who helped bring the NBA title back to New York.

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Mamdani puts JB above the NBA’s biggest stars

Mamdani’s support for Brunson was on display in a recent interaction when given a simple challenge — break a stick if he heard the name of a player he believed was better than the Knicks ‘ Finals MVP.

The NYC Mayor kept the stick as it was, even when he heard names like Ja Morant, LaMelo Ball, LeBron James, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“Until you win a championship for New York City, I’m not going to say that you’re better than Jalen Brunson,” Mamdani said in a clip posted by Overtime. “He has delivered something that we have waited for 53 years.”

By the end, the NYC mayor even joked that he might need a second stick because the first one was nowhere near breaking. As a Knicks fan, he showed complete loyalty to the love the city has for its star guard.

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This story was originally published September 20, 2026 at 5:55 AM.