Two worlds collided for James Dolan on Wednesday night as the ‘Sphere’ in Las Vegas took over the NBA during the New York Knicks’ first game of the 2023/24 season. Madison Square Garden is directly involved with both entities.
The Sphere is owned by Madison Square Garden Entertainment. The Knicks play at MSG.
Dolan, as the executive officer of MGS Sports and MSG Entertainment, decided to combine the two after failing to find a sponsor for its uniforms. According to multiple reports, he was — and is — seeking a $30 million price tag for its jersey patch. Nobody has stepped up so far.
In turn, Dolan decided to advertise the Sphere at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas on the jerseys for the season-opener and foreseeable future. It was announced at a press conference (without any fanfare) earlier this week.
The patch made its debut for the season-opener against the Boston Celtics.
Meanwhile, out in Sin City, the glowing ball of LED lights lit up in solidarity with the partner organization.
Although the Sphere patch actually looks pretty sweet, for an advertisement, it may not last. Dolan continues to seek a more permanent sponsor at $30 million. Should he find one, he may choose to ditch the Sphere in favor of a more lucrative paycheck.
In the meantime, Dolan will continue to pay himself while New York continues to promote the most viral entertainment venue of all-time. This comes after playing without a sponsorship patch last season.
The Knicks were one of four teams who did not wear one. Their five-year deal with Squarespace expired in 2021.
Although Dolan’s (potentially temporary) cross-promotion is a move that makes sense, some fans have alluded to a possible “Ponzi scheme” online, likely as a joke. A Ponzi scheme is investment fraud, which pays existing investors with funds from new investors.
Dolan has not commented publicly on the financial details of the arrangement. The team declined to do so as well.
It is unclear as to who/what paid who/what to get the patch, for an entertainment venue in Las Vegas, on a jersey for a basketball team in New York. It is also unclear if it will last the full NBA season or beyond.