Madison Square Garden facts for kids
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MSG
The Garden The World's Most Famous Arena |
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Madison Square Garden in 2019
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 Madison Square Garden
Location in Manhattan
Madison Square Garden
Location in New York City
Madison Square Garden
Location in New York
Madison Square Garden
Location in the United States
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| Address | 4 Pennsylvania Plaza |
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| Location | New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 40°45′2″N 73°59′37″W / 40.75056°N 73.99361°W |
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| Owner | Madison Square Garden Entertainment |
| Capacity |
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| Field size | 820,000 sq ft (76,000 m2) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | October 29, 1964 |
| Opened |
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| Renovated |
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| Structural engineer | Severud Associates |
| Services engineer | Syska & Hennessy, Inc. |
| General contractor | Turner/Del E. Webb |
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Madison Square Garden, often called the Garden or MSG, is a famous indoor arena in New York City. It's a huge building in Midtown Manhattan where many different events happen. You can find it between Seventh and Eighth avenues, from 31st to 33rd streets. It sits right above Pennsylvania Station, a major train hub.
This Madison Square Garden is actually the fourth building to have that name. The first two were near Madison Square. The third one was built further uptown. The current MSG opened in 1968 and is a super important place for sports and entertainment.
The Garden hosts all sorts of events. You can watch professional ice hockey, basketball, boxing, and mixed martial arts (MMA) here. It's also a popular spot for concerts, ice shows, circuses, and professional wrestling. The arena is home to the New York Rangers (NHL hockey team) and the New York Knicks (NBA basketball team). It used to be home to the New York Liberty (WNBA basketball team) too.
MSG is one of the oldest major sports venues in the New York metropolitan area. It's also one of the busiest music arenas in the world for ticket sales. Over the years, it has had big renovations to keep it modern and exciting.
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History of Madison Square Garden
Earlier Gardens in New York City
The name "Madison Square Garden" has been used for four different venues. The first two were located near Madison Square. This area was named after James Madison, an early U.S. President.
The very first Garden opened in 1879. It was torn down in 1890 because it had problems like a leaky roof. The second Garden, built in 1890, was much grander. It had a unique design with a tall tower. This building was huge, with seating for 8,000 people and space for thousands more. It also had a theater, a concert hall, and a large restaurant. However, it wasn't very successful and was replaced in 1925.
The third Madison Square Garden opened in 1925 on Eighth Avenue. It was built quickly by a boxing promoter named Tex Rickard. This arena was known as "The House That Tex Built." It could hold almost 18,500 people for boxing matches. This third Garden was used until 1968, when the current one opened.
The Current Madison Square Garden Opens
The Madison Square Garden we know today opened on February 11, 1968. It was built on the site of the old Pennsylvania Station. Building it above an active train station was a big engineering challenge.
Many people were upset when the beautiful old Penn Station was torn down. This led to the creation of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. This group helps protect important historic buildings in New York City.
In the 1980s, the Garden received a special tax break. This meant it didn't have to pay certain taxes, as long as the Knicks and Rangers played all their home games there. This agreement is still in place today.
Modernizing the Garden: Renovations
Madison Square Garden has had two major renovations to keep it up-to-date. The first big update happened from 1989 to 1991. Owners spent $200 million to add new luxury suites and improve the facilities. They also made bathrooms larger, added new food options, and replaced all the seats.
Another huge renovation took place from 2011 to 2013, costing about $1 billion. This project happened over three summers to avoid interrupting the hockey and basketball seasons. The arena got a larger entrance with cool interactive screens and a broadcast studio. The hallways (concourses) were made wider, and new lighting and huge HD video screens were installed.
They also added two unique walkways suspended from the ceiling. These "Chase Bridges" let fans look directly down onto the games. The seating was updated, and there were more dining choices. Even the locker rooms and production offices were improved. These changes made MSG a truly modern and exciting place for fans.
Future of Madison Square Garden and Penn Station
Madison Square Garden sits right on top of New York Penn Station, a very busy train station. Some people believe that moving MSG would help make Penn Station even better and bigger. In 2013, a city board voted to give MSG a 10-year operating permit instead of a permanent one. This was to encourage the idea of moving the arena to improve the station.
Several architecture firms even suggested new locations for MSG in western Manhattan. They proposed ideas like moving it to a postal facility or building a new pier. However, Madison Square Garden officials have said they are not planning to move.
In 2023, the city renewed MSG's operating permit for only five years. This shows that discussions about the future of the Garden and Penn Station are still ongoing.
Events at Madison Square Garden
Regular Sports Events
Madison Square Garden is a very busy place, hosting around 320 events each year. It's the home arena for two major sports teams:
- The New York Rangers (ice hockey team in the NHL)
- The New York Knicks (basketball team in the NBA)
The Garden also hosts college basketball games, including the Big East men's basketball tournament. It's also known for events like the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
Many famous boxing matches have taken place at MSG. Before Las Vegas became a boxing hotspot, the Garden was the main stage for big fights. The UFC also holds many of its popular mixed martial arts events here.
Professional Wrestling Shows
Madison Square Garden is a legendary venue for WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) events. It's often called WWE's "home office." The Garden has hosted three WrestleMania events, including the very first one. It also hosted the Royal Rumble and SummerSlam multiple times. Many episodes of WWE's weekly TV shows, Raw and SmackDown, have been broadcast live from the arena.
Concerts and Music Performances
MSG is a top spot for major concerts in New York City. Many legendary musicians have performed here.
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- Billy Joel, a New York-born pop star, holds the record for the most concerts at Madison Square Garden. As of July 2024, he has played there 150 times! He even had a monthly concert series at the Garden for a decade.
- Elton John once held the record for most appearances, with 64 shows. He called MSG his "favorite venue in the whole world."
- Led Zeppelin's three concerts in 1973 were recorded for a famous film and album called The Song Remains The Same.
- Elvis Presley gave four sold-out performances in 1972, his only shows ever in New York City.
- The band Phish held a unique 13-night concert series in 2017, playing 237 different songs without repeating any.
Other Important Events
Madison Square Garden has hosted many other significant events:
- It has been the site of major political conventions, where political parties choose their candidates for president. These include the 1976 Democratic National Convention, 1980 Democratic National Convention, 1992 Democratic National Convention, and the 2004 Republican National Convention.
- The Jeopardy! Teen Tournament and Celebrity Jeopardy! were filmed here in 1999. Wheel of Fortune also taped episodes at the Garden.
- The New York City Police Academy and several universities hold their graduation ceremonies at MSG.
- The Grammy Awards, which celebrate achievements in music, have been held at the Garden several times.
- The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, a famous dog competition, was held at MSG every February from 1877 until 2020. It will return to MSG in 2025.
Special Moments at MSG
- In 1939, a large rally was held at Madison Square Garden. It was presented as a "Pro-American Rally" and had over 20,000 people attending.
- MSG has hosted the Stanley Cup Finals (hockey) and NBA Finals (basketball) at the same time in 1972 and 1994.
- It has hosted the NHL All-Star Game and the NBA All-Star Game.
- In 2016, the UFC held its first event in New York City at MSG after the state lifted its ban on mixed martial arts.
- In 2021, Stephen Curry broke the NBA's all-time three-point scoring record at Madison Square Garden.
Awards and Honors from Madison Square Garden
Gold Ticket Award
In 1977, Madison Square Garden started giving out Gold Ticket Awards. These awards went to performers who sold over 100,000 tickets at the venue. Since the arena holds about 20,000 people, this meant selling out at least five shows! Famous groups like Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones were among the first to receive this award.
Platinum Ticket Award
Even more impressive, the Platinum Ticket Award was given to performers who sold over 250,000 tickets. Winners included Elton John, Billy Joel, and Madonna.
Madison Square Garden Hall of Fame
The Madison Square Garden Hall of Fame honors people who have achieved great things at the Garden. Most inductees are sports stars, but some performers have also been included. Elton John was one of the first non-sports figures inducted for his record-breaking concert attendance.
Madison Square Garden Walk of Fame
The walkway leading to the arena is called the "Walk of Fame." It was created in 1992 to celebrate athletes, artists, and coaches for their amazing performances at the Garden. Each person honored gets a plaque. Elton John was the first entertainer to be inducted, followed by Billy Joel and The Rolling Stones.
Seating Capacity
The number of seats at Madison Square Garden changes depending on the event.
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The Theater at Madison Square Garden
Inside Madison Square Garden, there's also a smaller venue called The Theater. It can seat between 2,000 and 5,600 people. This theater is used for concerts, stage shows, meetings, and graduation ceremonies. It used to host the NFL draft and the NBA draft. The theater also sometimes hosts boxing matches.
The stage has a low ceiling, and most of the seats are on one sloped level. This means that no seat is too far from the stage, making it a great place for a more intimate show.
Getting to Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden is very easy to get to because it's located right above New York Penn Station. This is a major transportation hub served by:
- Long Island Rail Road (LIRR)
- NJ Transit (trains from New Jersey)
- Amtrak (national train service)
You can also reach the Garden using the New York City Subway. There are subway stations at 34th Street–Penn Station on both the 7th Avenue and 8th Avenue lines.
See also
In Spanish: Madison Square Garden para niños
- List of indoor arenas by capacity
- List of NCAA Division I basketball arenas
- Royal Albert Hall
