James Dolan is the CEO of Madison Square Garden Entertainment and is also the owner of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers. Last week, state lawmakers representing Manhattan introduced a bill to ban James Dolan from using facial technology to block people he doesn’t like from attending events at Madison Square Garden.
The legislation was introduced shortly after a group of lawyers was blocked from attending an event because facial recognition technology spotted them. Rumors are swirling that the reason Dolan did not want them in attendance is that the lawyers had ties to previous litigation with Madison Square Garden Entertainment.
Statement from Congress
“MSG’s use of facial recognition technology to retaliate against employees of law firms engaged in litigation against them is deeply concerning,” said state Senate Finance Chair Liz Krueger.
“It is an unacceptable invasion of the privacy of all their patrons, and a blatant attempt to intimidate and bully those who might want to pursue their day in court against the company.”
Didn’t Pose a Threat – Still Ejected
According to reports from congress, at least four attorneys that were involved in litigation against Madison Square Garden Entertainment were ejected from venues owned by James Dolan and his company.
“MSG claims they deploy biometric technology for the benefit of public safety when they remove sports fans from the Garden,” said state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal. “This is absurd given that in at least four reported cases, the patrons who were booted from their venues posed no security threat.”
Dolan Claps Back
A spokesperson for MSG entertainment defended the policy introduced by his boss James Dolan, saying that private companies have the right to refuse business to anyone. The spokesperson also went on to say:
“The fact that these politicians have so courageously taken on the ‘plight’ of attorneys representing ticket scalpers and other money grabbers speaks volumes about their priorities. We urge these elected officials to introduce legislation that addresses issues their constituents are concerned with rather than focus on amending a poorly worded and misinterpreted 80-year-old law.”
Wrap Up
This is certainly an interesting story coming out of the Big Apple as many people close to James Dolan describe him as a guy that doesn’t like not getting his way. We can only wait and see if this proposed bill will be signed into law, or if Mr. Dolan can keep kicking his adversaries out of events.