Madison Square Garden’s facial recognition and fan bans spur new state legislation
The flurry of fan bans and subsequent lawsuits filed against Madison Square Garden by some of the lawyers who were allegedly targeted has gained the attention of New York state legislators. Last week, state senators introduced a new bill that would prevent MSG and other sporting venues from denying entry to individuals who possess a valid ticket. The legislation would add sporting events like the New York Knicks stadium to a list of public places. New York state senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal one of the authors behind the new legislation, called the venue’s practice of using facial recognition to bar lawyers entry “absurd.”
“MSG claims they deploy biometric technology for the benefit of public safety when they remove sports fans from the Garden,” Hoylman-Sigal said in a statement. “Our legislation will close the loophole in state law that allows MSG to remove fans from the Garden and encourage an end to surveillance for non-security purposes.”
