Madison Square Garden and Cablevision fired back today in response to Frank Isola’s story in today’s Daily News suggesting the Knicks may have withheld injury news on Jeremy Lin until after the deadline for purchasing playoff tickets.
Here’s their release:
Cablevision Systems Corporation statement: “Today’s story in the New York Daily News is just another in a long list of articles and cover stories designed to provoke Cablevision and The Madison Square Garden Company. Mr. Zuckerman has engaged in a campaign of intimidation and extortion to effect a merger between Newsday and the Daily News. He has made repeated overtures to Mr. Dolan and his executives to combine the operations with joint ownership and shared printing and editorial expense. This proposal was rejected multiple times. In fact, at a Four Seasons lunch meeting on March 6, Mr. Zuckerman once again made his proposal, this time adding that “the bad press would end if we became joint owners” (a direct quote). Shortly thereafter, the Daily News ran a full front page with Mr. Dolan’s picture as a centerpiece for a skull and crossbones graphic that included the word “Toxic” in bold print. Today’s back page story is just another in a series of these defamatory extortions.”
The Madison Square Garden Company statement: “Today’s Daily News story is completely inaccurate, and serves only as another example of fabricated reporting by Mr. Zuckerman’s newspaper. The suggestion that the timing of Jeremy Lin’s injury report is in any way connected to a longstanding Knicks playoff ticket deadline is a malicious attack on The Madison Square Garden Company. Jeremy Lin decided on Saturday to have surgery now in hopes that he would be able to return in time for, or at least during, the playoffs. The Knicks have sold out 61 games in a row, including last season’s playoffs, and as standard practice we provided season ticket holders a first opportunity benefit to reserve playoff tickets before going on sale to the general public.”
Cablevision President and CEO and The Madison Square Garden Company Executive Chairman Jim Dolan said, “I understand that there will always be those who are critical of anyone who owns a controlling interest in three New York sports franchises. But, Mr. Zuckerman’s attempts to parlay this into a favorable arrangement for himself could not be more misguided.”
The companies are actively pursuing their remedial options.
In the meantime, Lin said today on his Facebook page that he had surgery today on his knee and hopes to return for the NBA playoffs: “Thanks for all the love! Ill return from this surgery stronger and better than before…and hopefully in time for the playoffs!”
The Knicks later confirmed the surgery and said he is “expected to be out for approximately six weeks.”
Photo: NEA
