Ticketmaster said no nba game 5 tickets bought on its platform will be canceled, easing a last-minute panic among Knicks fans headed for Saturday's Finals game in Texas. The move means fans who already bought through Ticketmaster can still expect to enter the arena in San Antonio.
Ticketmaster Calms San Antonio Buyers
The company said fans purchasing tickets on Ticketmaster can be confident they are getting a real, authenticated ticket that will get them into the game. A spokesperson also said the platform has not canceled, and will not cancel, those purchases.
The concern started after Ticketmaster said purchases by people living farther than 150 miles from the San Antonio arena would be canceled and refunded without notice. Residency is established through the credit card billing address, and the restriction has been in place since the NBA playoffs began in April.
Spurs Hold The Line
A Spurs spokesperson said people whose billing ZIP code falls outside the designated area are unable to complete a ticket purchase subject to that restriction. The same spokesperson said tickets that have already been bought are not being canceled or revoked.
That left the issue focused on the narrow group of Knicks fans trying to sort out Saturday's Game 5 travel plans, after panic spread on Friday night when the ticket note circulated. The policy itself was described as a local-fans preference for anticipated events, but the practical concern was simple: whether a valid purchase would still get a buyer through the gate.
Hochul And James Push Back
New York Governor Kathy Hochul posted, “Knicks fans finally get within one game of a championship and their reward is having their tickets canceled?” She added, “Until then, on behalf of Knicks fans everywhere, I'm calling foul.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James demanded the Spurs remove the policy and allow Knicks fans and anyone who can buy tickets for tonight's game to attend. After fans were reassured they would be let in, James said, “I'm glad our Knicks fans will be able to attend the game tonight in San Antonio. Go Knicks!”
A Madison Square Garden Sports Corp representative said Spurs ownership said no tickets would be revoked and all ticket holders will be allowed in to Frost Bank Arena. For fans holding a valid Ticketmaster purchase, the immediate answer is the one they needed: the ticket stays live, and the trip to San Antonio still leads to the building.
