James urges MSG to reverse its lawyer-exclusion policy
Letitia JamesNew York attorney general
James criticizes the exclusions and calls on MSG to reverse the policy while seeking information about possible legal violations.
“MSG Entertainment cannot fight their legal battles in their own arenas ... we’re urging MSG Entertainment to reverse this policy.”
Official statement
Where this statement fits
James Dolan defends MSG's facial-recognition lawyer exclusions; New York officials object
In January 2023, James Dolan defended MSG Entertainment's use of facial recognition to bar lawyers at firms suing the company, saying a property owner may choose whom it serves. Letitia James and Brad Hoylman-Sigal objected that the policy punished people for pursuing legal claims. A New York appeals court later held that state law requires MSG to admit ticket holders to concerts and theatrical shows but not sporting events, with damages as the only remedy. MSG described the exclusions as a safety measure in 2025, and WIRED reported in May 2026 that MSG had revoked the tickets of a lawyer suing it.
Source and context
Official statement
About this source
James questions the exclusion of lawyers at firms suing MSG and asks the company to reverse its policy. Her letter raises possible violations; it is not a court finding.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The attorney general sent MSG an information request about facial recognition and litigation-related exclusions.
After the quotation
The request raises possible violations of civil and human rights laws; it does not establish a violation.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Reference point: MSG's policy of excluding lawyers at firms suing it. James says MSG cannot fight its legal battles in its arenas and urges the company to reverse the policy, which is direct criticism. Mixed or conditional loses: the attorney general's letter asks about possible legal violations, but the stated view of the policy carries no condition.
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More from this case
Read the full caseEFF criticizes MSG's exclusions and warns they could spread to protesters
Electronic Frontier Foundation
“Madison Square Gardens was recently caught using this technology to exclude employees of a law firm that sued the venue’s parent company. ... A business could easily extend this kind of “enemies list” to people who, online or on the sidewalk outside, protest a venue’s discriminatory policies.”Read statement
Williams rejects employer-based venue exclusions
“Individuals should not be removed from a place of business, because their employer is involved in legal action against said business.”Read statement
NYCLU calls MSG's ticket-holder exclusions an example of surveillance dangers
New York Civil Liberties Union
“The widely reported deployment of facial recognition at Madison Square Garden to ban people from the stadium that had already purchased tickets ... illustrates the dangers from the growing surveillance industry and the urgent need for comprehensive privacy protections.”Read statement
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- James urges MSG to reverse its lawyer-exclusion policy
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The Dispute Index. "James urges MSG to reverse its lawyer-exclusion policy". First published: 2026-10-18. Last updated: 2026-10-18. https://disputeindex.com/events/5896-james-criticizes-the-exclusions-and-calls-on-msg