NBA Player Who Voted Knicks as Worst Fans: 'Maybe the People Are Too Rich That Go'

Like many other features in New York City, it appears Madison Square Garden hasn't been immune to gentrification.

In an anonymous poll for The Athletic's Sam Amick and Josh Robbins, one NBA player who voted MSG as having the worst fans called them "too fancy."

"I don't know, maybe the people are too rich that go to the games," the player said. "I don't feel like they're as passionate about it. But it changes."

When the New York Knicks are rolling, the atmosphere inside Madison Square Garden can be second to none.

But the venue might have lost some luster when the franchise was mired in a cycle of mediocrity prior to Tom Thibodeau's arrival.

To the anonymous player's point, the Knicks have also consistently been one of the most expensive tickets in the NBA. The average price for playoff tickets has climbed into four figures on secondary markets.

Over on the West Coast, the Golden State Warriors sacrificed some of the home-court advantage they enjoyed at Oracle Arena when they moved into Chase Center, a venue built to accommodate wealthier fans.

Maybe Madison Square Garden isn't the same kind of cauldron it was years ago. Ownership doesn't have much incentive to care, not when the Knicks are making money hand over fist.