Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, known as “The Garden / MSG”, in New York, New York is home to the New York Knicks (NBA, Eastern Conference) and the St. John's Red Storm (Big East, NCAA Division I). It opened in 1968, making it 58 years old in 2026 and seats 19,812 for basketball. That makes it the 5th-largest arena in NBA.
Split with Carnesecca Arena (Queens, 6,107).
Arena facts
- Location
- New York, New York
- Home of
- New York Knicks
St. John's Red Storm - School
- St. John's University
- Conference
- NBA · Eastern Conference · Atlantic Division
Big East - Opened
- 1968
- Capacity
- 19,812
- Nickname
- The Garden / MSG
- Former names
- Madison Square Garden Center (original name of current building, 1968)
- Also home to
- New York Rangers (NHL)
St. John's Red Storm (NCAA)
New York Liberty (WNBA, 1997–2017, former) - Size rank in NBA
- 5th of 30
Famous games at Madison Square Garden
- May 8, 1970: An injured Willis Reed limped out to start Game 7, and the Knicks beat the Lakers 113-99 for their first NBA title.
- March 28, 1995: In his fifth game back from retirement, Michael Jordan scored 55 as the Bulls beat the Knicks 113-111 in the "Double Nickel" game.
- Feb. 2, 2009: Kobe Bryant set the Garden scoring record with 61 points, going 20-for-20 at the line, as the Lakers beat the Knicks 126-117.
- Nov. 15, 2011: Duke beat Michigan State 74-69 in the Champions Classic, giving Mike Krzyzewski his 903rd win and passing Bob Knight as Division I's winningest men's coach.
- Jan. 24, 2014: Carmelo Anthony scored a franchise-record 62 points, breaking Kobe's Garden record, as the Knicks beat the Bobcats 125-96.
- Dec. 14, 2021: Stephen Curry passed Ray Allen for the NBA career three-point record as the Warriors beat the Knicks 105-96.
- June 10, 2026: The Knicks edged the Spurs 107-106 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on the way to a 4-1 title.
Game night
Getting there. Sits atop Penn Station (Amtrak, LIRR, NJ Transit) with the 34th St–Penn Station subway (1/2/3, A/C/E) and PATH at 33rd St nearby.
Seating & views at Madison Square Garden
The current Garden, open since 1968, seats 19,812 for basketball after a 2011-2013 renovation rebuilt the bowl in stages. The lower bowl is reached from the sixth-floor Madison Concourse and the upper bowl from the eighth-floor Garden Concourse, with the Madison Suites and Madison Club on the seventh floor between them. The Chase Bridges, two walkways suspended from the ceiling on the tenth floor, put fans directly above the court. Courtside is the famous celebrity row.
Parking & tailgating at Madison Square Garden
Driving is the hard way to get here: the arena sits on top of Penn Station, which serves Amtrak, the LIRR and NJ Transit. The 34th Street-Penn Station subway stops (1/2/3 and A/C/E) are underneath, 34th Street-Herald Square is a block east, and PATH trains stop at 33rd Street. Several bus routes, including the M34 and M34A SBS, run past the building. The arena does not operate its own parking, so drivers rely on private Midtown garages.
Plan your trip to Madison Square Garden
Arenas near Madison Square Garden10
- 1D-ILevien Gymnasium — Columbia Lions same city
- 2D-IIsland Federal Credit Union Arena — Stony Brook Seawolves 12 mi
- 3G LeagueNassau Coliseum — Long Island Nets 28 mi
- 4D-IMack Sports Complex — Hofstra Pride 30 mi
- 5D-ILeo D. Mahoney Arena — Fairfield Stags 31 mi
- 6D-IWilliam H. Pitt Center — Sacred Heart Pioneers 31 mi
- 7D-IJeffery P. Hazell Athletics Center — New Haven Chargers 36 mi
- 8D-IJohn J. Lee Amphitheater — Yale Bulldogs 39 mi
- 9D-IHynes Athletic Center — Iona Gaels 40 mi
- 10G LeagueWestchester County Center — Westchester Knicks 42 mi
Questions about Madison Square Garden
Where do the New York Knicks play home games?
The New York Knicks play at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York.
Where do the St. John's Red Storm play home games?
The St. John's Red Storm play at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York.
How many people does Madison Square Garden hold?
Madison Square Garden seats 19,812 for basketball.
When did Madison Square Garden open?
Madison Square Garden opened in 1968.
What is Madison Square Garden’s nickname?
Madison Square Garden is known as “The Garden / MSG.”
What other arenas are near Madison Square Garden?
Levien Gymnasium is also in New York. See the full list of nearby arenas on this page.
Facts are for the 2026–27 season. Distances are straight-line miles between city centers. Capacity figures vary by source. See something wrong? Let us know. Is this your arena? Get the “Listed on Hoops Arenas” badge for your website.