MSG outdoor watch party returns for Knicks Game 1 on Wednesday night
From the Alamo to the NBA Finals: Tina Cervasio sets the stage for Game 1
FOX 5 NY's Tina Cervasio joined Newsroom Live from San Antonio, talking Knicks with Dan Bowens ahead of Game 1.
NEW YORK CITY - The party is officially back on outside the Garden!
What we know:
Knicks fans are getting a second chance after unruly crowds forced the NYPD to pull the plug on outdoor watch parties last month.
FOX 5 has learned that Madison Square Garden received a permit for an outdoor watch party Wednesday night as the Knicks take on the Spurs in San Antonio for the NBA Finals opener.
The NYPD gave the event the green light, lifting a ban that was put in place in response to escalating crowd control issues.
NYPD halts Knicks watch parties outside MSG after 'unruly' fans cause chaos
The NYPD announced that they will no longer support watch parties directly outside Madison Square Garden in response to escalating crowd control issues.
The backstory:
The NYPD halted watch parties outside MSG last month when an estimated 6,000 people flooded the streets in what escalated into a potentially dangerous situation with six arrests.
Police say the crowd became very rough, throwing glass bottles, climbing on top of subway entrances, blocking vehicle traffic and drinking in the streets.
"This is not about having enough of the unruly fans — this is about keeping people safe," an NYPD spokesperson said.
Where to watch the Knicks game tonight in NYC: Official watch parties, bars and more
Looking for where to watch the Knicks game tonight in NYC? Here are the official Knicks watch parties, bar takeovers and viewing options for Game 1.
What's next:
Authorities have yet to say if watch party permits will be approved outside MSG for the remainder of the NBA finals.
The Source: Information from this story was sourced from the NYPD and reporting by FOX 5.