A diehard Knicks fan can watch games at Madison Square Garden again after he dropped a lawsuit over James Dolan’s controversial policy to ban attorneys involved in claims against his venues.
Larry Hutcher’s yearlong court battle with MSG came to an end in September when the partner at law firm Davidoff Hutcher & Citron — a Knicks season ticket holder for nearly 50 years — admitted MSG had a right to enforce its policy.
Hutcher filed an affirmation with a New York appellate court on Sept. 6 that walked back his previous claims that the ban on lawyers violates a civil rights law.
That law, section 40-b, prohibits “wrongful refusal of admission to and ejection from places of public entertainment and amusement.”
Hutcher, who was forced to fly to Miami to cheer on his beloved Knicks earlier this year, also admitted that he and his colleagues were “repeatedly made aware” of MSG’s policy stating lawyers involved in litigation against the company can be refused entry.
“It was not worth continuing the battle,” Hutcher told The Post on Friday, noting that he’s “been to almost every Knicks game since [the ban was lifted].”
The ban was lifted just before the Knicks tipped off their new season.
“I’m thrilled that I’ve been able to enjoy the Knicks,” he said.
The squabble also appeared to be water under the bridge for MSG officials.
“We are happy to welcome Mr. Hutcher back. Go Knicks!” an MSG spokesperson told The Post.
Hutcher’s filing came just as his firm’s year-long legal battle representing ticket resellers against MSG was resolved. In April, the case was dismissed by the New York State Supreme Court. His firm filed an appeal but dropped it over the summer.
“We acknowledge that we knew that any tickets in our possession were deemed revoked and invalid by MSG, we knew the reasons assigned by MSG for the revocation and we knew that we would be denied entry to MSG Venues as a result,” Hutcher wrote in the 41-page filing obtained by The Post.
Over the course of this year, Hutcher hadn’t been entirely banned from MSG venues.
His firm won a partial victory in December 2022 when Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Lyle Frank ruled its lawyers could attend all MSG venues with one exception: sporting events.
That didn’t help Hutcher when it came to his Knicks.
Shortly thereafter, he appealed the portion of the ruling limiting the firm to non-sports-related events. MSG simultaneously appealed the preliminary injunction allowing the firm into its venues for occasions other than sports.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
