Excited Knicks fans flock to Garden
The floor at Madison Square Garden surrounded by new seating in the lower bowl, part of the transformation project. (Oct. 19, 2011) Credit: Craig Ruttle
Madison Square Garden's three-phase renovation is a work in progress, but fans still were impressed with the sights and sounds of what the building has to offer.
From all over the region, 19,763 fans descended upon the mecca of basketball Sunday for the NBA opener between the Knicks and Celtics. "I was just looking around and I haven't seen everything that's new yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing the new views and the foods," Manhattan resident Lee Kowarski said. "It was cool seeing Earl 'The Pearl' Monroe downstairs signing autographs."
Most important for Kowarski, 33, was seeing the new-look Knicks in action.
"I miss the NBA, I was ready to see a game, it's the Celtics and my buddy is in from Boston, so I was absolutely ready to see a game," Kowarski said.
Jafar Johnson came all the way from Albany to experience the atmosphere. "Everyone should want to be here, especially if you like the Knicks," said Johnson, 28. "I looked for the tickets as soon as they announced the schedule and got them. I don't get to many games, so I had to get to this one."
Ryan Sherman, a University of Miami student on semester break, also couldn't miss his favorite team in its home opener.
"We were here for the preseason game and it looks really good here," said Sherman, 21, who was treated to the game by his brother Steve. "Our seats are closer to the players. We're hoping there's a lot of excitement in the building."
Jonah Ferro, 17, who attended the game with his father, Jesse, said this could be a "special" season for the Knicks.
"It's going to be insane in this nice new building," Jonah said. "The Garden's going to erupt with the new players. This is really the first year the Knicks have come into the season as a favorite in a while."
Jonah was impressed with the renovations.
"The lower lobby is nicer and it's definitely more fan-interactive," he said. "It definitely feels a little bigger."
Jesse Ferro, 46, said he misses the previous version of the Garden. "I'm getting used to it. The whole bowl thing . . . It's nice, but the old Garden is the old Garden," said Ferro, who was raised in Manhattan. "It's hard to give up something that you knew as a kid growing up."
The Dolan family owns
controlling interests in the Knicks, MSG and Cablevision. Cablevision owns Newsday.
