Gothamist, Jon Campbell, April 4, 2023 

Madison Square Garden CEO James Dolan’s rare television interview earlier this year didn’t do his company any favors in court, according to a judge’s ruling.

Late last week, State Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron threw out MSG’s lawsuit against the State Liquor Authority, which sought to block the authority from punishing the company for using facial recognition technology to prevent certain lawyers from entering events at the famed arena, and other MSG-owned venues including Radio City Music Hall and the Beacon Theatre.

In his ruling, Engoron found MSG’s lawsuit is premature because the company hasn’t suffered “an actual concrete injury” yet. While the SLA has filed disciplinary charges that could result in the company’s venues losing their liquor licenses, it hasn’t yet finalized any penalties.

But in a footnote, Engoron also pointed to Dolan’s January interview with Fox 5 New York, in which Dolan cast doubt on whether losing the liquor license would harm MSG.

“In any event, there is a factual issue as to whether MSG will suffer irreparable economic damages as MSG’s principal, James Dolan, has publicly stated ‘people [sic] still gonna come to the games right … and you know honestly but alcohol, we don’t make a lot of money on alcohol,’” Engoron wrote on Thursday, quoting from Dolan’s Jan. 26 television interview.

MSG’s attendance ban, which has been in place since at least late last year, applies to attorneys who work at firms suing the company.

Read More: Gothamist