Hutcher calls Dolan's lawyer ban arbitrary and capricious
Larry K. HutcherAttorney, Knicks season-ticket holder and plaintiff suing MSG over the exclusions
Hutcher calls Dolan's lawyer ban arbitrary and capricious and welcomes the proposed law.
“It's clear that everyone recognizes that Dolan has acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner, it is based in a mean-spirited and vindictive way.”
Reporting
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
Reporting
About this source
NBC New York reports Hutcher's criticism of the lawyer ban and support for legislation. Its account also includes MSG's defense of the policy.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
MSG used facial recognition to enforce a policy excluding attorneys at firms in litigation with the company, including attorneys not personally handling the litigation.
After the quotation
Hutcher's firm was suing MSG at the time. In the same report, MSG defended its policy and criticized the proposed legislation.
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. Hutcher, a plaintiff suing MSG over the policy, says Dolan acted arbitrarily and capriciously and in a mean-spirited and vindictive way. Challenged the characterization loses because Hutcher criticizes the exclusions themselves.
- Recorded on
- Published here
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
Share or embed this statement
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the statement page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Hutcher calls Dolan's lawyer ban arbitrary and capricious
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/5947-hutcher-calls-dolan-s-lawyer-ban-arbitrary-and
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Hutcher calls Dolan's lawyer ban arbitrary and capricious". First published: 2026-10-18. Last updated: 2026-10-18. https://disputeindex.com/events/5947-hutcher-calls-dolan-s-lawyer-ban-arbitrary-and