Ticketmaster Rule Could Lock Some Knicks Fans Out Of Game 5

New Yorkers may not get the chance to attend NBA Finals Game 5 — which could be the last game of the championship series — thanks to a rule blocking out-of-town fans from purchasing tickets to the San Antonio-based game.

A Ticketmaster warning shows sales for Game 5, which might see the New York Knicks win the NBA Finals for the first time in 53 years, are limited to fans within a 150-mile radius of the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.

“Residency will be based on credit card billing address,” the warning reads. “Orders by residents outside of a 150-mile radius of Frost Bank Center will be canceled without notice and refunds given.”

The Ticketmaster rule has been in effect for the entire playoffs, according to social media users. Other ticket sites, however, including StubHub and SeatGeek, do not appear to restrict ticket sales to specific locations.

The New York Knicks currently lead the series 3-1 over the San Antonio Spurs. If the Knicks win Game 5, the team will secure the NBA title for the first time since 1973. If the team loses, the series will return to Madison Square Garden for Game 6.

This is the Knicks’ first Finals appearance since 1999, when the New York team lost to the Spurs. The Spurs’ last appeared in the NBA Finals in 2014, when the team defeated the Miami Heat to win the championship.

Despite the roadblock from Ticketmaster, fans from New York and New Jersey have already purchased 45% of Game 5 tickets, as reported by the New York Post. According to the Post, some New Yorkers bought Game 5 tickets because they were cheaper than tickets to Madison Square Garden, the Post reported.

The cheapest seats for Game 5 cost around $1,000 on Ticketmaster, while the best seats cost anywhere from $10,000 to $36,000.

In contrast, the cheapest tickets for Game 3 at Madison Square Garden cost around $5,000 — with courtside tickets going for as much as $100,000, The Daily Wire previously reported.

Win or lose, the Knicks have already made history in their Finals run. The team won Game 4 with a 29-point comeback, the largest in NBA Finals history.