Knicks Owner James Dolan: 'I Don't Really Like Owning Teams'
In an interview with Katherine Rosman of the New York Times, New York Knicks owner James Dolan claimed that while his professional sports properties remain "near and dear to (his) heart," he finds the business' economics "kind of sleepy," leading to a newfound venture in the live entertainment industry.
"I don't really like owning teams," Dolan told Rosman in an expansive profile published on Wednesday.
The 68-year-old came to such a realization when he considered purchasing either a baseball or soccer team in 2015 before investing in the $2.3 billion Sphere, an orb-shaped venue due to open with a U2 concert in Las Vegas next week.
Brad Penner, USA TODAY SPORTS
A Massapequa native, Dolan is the CEO of the Madison Square Garden Sports Company, which runs both the Knicks and New York Rangers. Since Dolan took on an advanced role in MSG's sports properties in 1999, the Knicks have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals only once and have endured lengthy postseason droughts. The Hartford Wolf Pack, the Rangers' minor league affiliate, is the only MSG sports property to earn a championship under Dolan's watch, doing so at the end of the 1999-2000 American Hockey League season.
The lack of championship prestige has led to many Knicks and Rangers fans calling for Dolan to sell. In the wake of such requests, Dolan has come under fire for banning critical fans from Madison Square Garden and banning them from future visits with facial recognition technology. Dolan won't even allow signs that bear the request to sell, claiming that those messages are "directed at, on a personal basis, the guy who’s in charge — me.”
“If you held up a sign that says, you know, ‘Play better, this team sucks,’ you can do that," Dolan countered. "That’s part of being a fan.”
Even with that caveat, Knicks legends aren't exempt from Dolan-based controversies: one of the most infamous MSG incidents saw him engage in a physical shouting match with fan favorite Charles Oakley, one that led to the 1994 All-Star being physically ejected from the premises. Dolan showed no regrets over that incident in the Times' profile, claiming “I wish I could change Charles Oakley.”
