Knicks Owner Launches ‘Thank you, NYPD’ Campaign at MSG

New York Knicks Owner James Dolan wants to make sure that New York Police Department (NYPD) officers feel appreciated, and is hosting a star-studded concert at Madison Square Garden (MSG) to ensure they do.

Dolan, the executive chairman and CEO of MSG Entertainment, has launched the “Thank you, NYPD” campaign to ensure the city’s police officers hear something other than “defund the police.”

“We’re very close with the NYPD. We interact with them almost every day – actually, every day. So we know them pretty well. And we just thought it was time to do something like this, that there’s too much rhetoric out there that is condemning the police. We feel that that’s not really how New Yorkers feel,” Dolan told the New York Post.

On March 28, thousands of NYPD officers and civilian employees will be invited to Madison Square Garden for an event featuring Grammy Award-winning legends John Fogerty, Cyndi Lauper, and rapper Fat Joe. In addition, comedians Chris Distefano and Sam Morril will also entertain.

Only NYPD employees will be invited to the event.

In addition to the performers, other stars from the screen, stage, and sports will be on hand to mingle and mix with the officers.

“What we’re trying to do is not be political with it. Administrations come, administrations go. The NYPD is always there. We’re really just focused on them. I hope we can all agree that we should be grateful for the efforts of the NYPD,” Dolan explained.

“We wish we could have them all, but if we had them all, then there’d be nobody protecting the rest of us,” Dolan quipped.

“We think that in your and my world, where there’s so much cynicism and negativity, that this was an opportunity to do something really positive for New York. And the NYPD is a really big piece of New York.”

Dolan is covering all expenses for the event.

“Everybody I tell this to is excited about it, but I also have to tell them, ‘You can’t go, because you’re not a policeman,” Dolan joked.

“I hope it goes on forever. We should always be thanking our law enforcement.”