Opening Night on Celebrity Row

Thanks to a generous last-minute invite from a friend I had fantastic third row seats to the New York Knicks home opener, 104-84 drubbing of the defending NBA champion Miami Heat.  Over the years I've sat all over Madison Square Garden, but had never been this close to the court for an NBA game before (I once sat courtside for a New York Liberty WNBA game, back when the team was still playing at MSG).  In addition to providing an excellent view of the game, the first few rows at the Garden afford fans the opportunity to people-watch, get your face on TV and stare at celebrities.  While the surrounding atmosphere can be somewhat distracting - sometimes you forget that you're at a basketball game - it's a unique way to take in a sporting event.

As I looked around MSG's Section 2, I assumed that everyone I saw was either super-rich, someone famous that I just couldn't recognize out of context, or both.  After some not-so-discrete staring, I was able to point out hip-hop artist Mary J. Blige (sitting two rows directly in front of us) and New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck.  Everyone in our section, though - not just the celebrities - stuck out from the typical basketball fan in one way or another.  Rather than Knicks jerseys and hoodies, the guys were wearing blazers and ties while their dates wore leather pants, stilettos and, in one instance, a see-through black tank top.  The people holding beers were heavily outnumbered by those holding cocktails, and people stared at me when I got out of my seat to cheer after a big Raymond Felton three-pointer.

When you sit in the cheap seats, you spend a lot of time starting at the Jumbotron watching other people shown on the big screen.  When you sit in the third row, you are one of those people.  At one point in the second quarter I was featured prominently on the Jumbotron - another friend at the game texted me to let me know he recognized me - and toward the end of the game I was spotted on TV during the MSG broadcast (see if you can spot me Where's Waldo-style in the photo below).  Along with all of the media exposure comes a downside, however - camera men constantly blocking your view and Knicks staffers camped out in the aisles ready to pounce on the next available photo opportunity.

    Can you find me?  Hint: Look all the way to the right.

Overall, I really enjoyed my experience rubbing elbows with the one percent in MSG's floor seats.  What better way to take in the Knicks season opener against the star-studded Heat than sitting alongside the likes of Mary J. Blige and Justin Tuck?  Going forward, I'll have no problem heading back up to the higher levels to cheer with the "real" fans - but for Friday night there was no place that I'd rather have been.