NBA Finals: Knicks championship impact (with David Gura, Christina Ruffini, Lisa Mateo)

The Knicks' championship was not pre-ordained; they had an OK regular season and were seeded going into the playoffs.

David Gura

Eben Novy-Williams

The Knicks' title run had a city-wide impact unlike other recent New York championships, showing New York is a basketball town at heart. The 53-year drought for one of the most valuable sports brands was a long wait for fans.

The team's come-from-behind victories resonated with New Yorkers and even outsiders, representing the city's resilience.

The comeback story is key to why this resonated so much with New Yorkers.

Lisa Mateo

Eben Novy-Williams

The Knicks' ownership future is uncertain; there is a potential split between the Knicks and Rangers, and increasing chatter that the Dolan family may sell one team. The championship will increase the Knicks' valuation significantly.

Stock splits and changes at MSG make selling the Knicks easier now than 10 years ago. The public markets don't value the Knicks as a private transaction would.

The win coalesces NY around the Knicks, leaving the Nets in a difficult position as a newer team with a failed superteam experiment.

David Gura

Eben Novy-Williams

The Nets are newer to NYC and left their NJ history behind; they had a failed superteam (Kyrie, Durant, Harden) and are behind the Knicks.

Eben Novy-Williams

The Knicks' future is bright if they keep the core. More interesting is the ownership future: a potential split between Rangers and Knicks, with chatter the Dolan family may sell one team. The Knicks following this championship would sell for quite a bit more than the public markets value them.

The Lakers sold for $10B. The constant stock splits and changes at MSG make it easier to sell the Knicks as a separate publicly-traded company.

Jim Dolan presides over MSG Entertainment, MSG Sports, and Sphere. Bathing in adulation may compel him to stick with the Knicks.

David Gura

Eben Novy-Williams

The split makes it easier to bring outside capital. As team valuations soar, it doesn't seem impossible Jim decides to sell one of these teams soon.

10 years ago it would have been very hard to sell the Knicks; now with stock splits it becomes way easier.

Eben Novy-Williams

The split makes it easier to bring outside capital; small transactions can turn into a full sale. It's plausible Jim Dolan sells one team soon.

The Knicks are more valuable than the Rangers; stock splits make selling easier than 10 years ago.

What should folks expect from the ticker-tape parade on Thursday?

Christina Ruffini

Vanessa Perdomo

The city hasn't seen a men's sports championship since 2012, and the Knicks haven't won in 53 years. Expect record-breaking numbers for the parade.

The Liberty parade in 2024 was big; this will be much larger.

Asks about the ticker tape parade expected on Thursday.

Christina Ruffini

Eben Novy-Williams

The city hasn't seen a men's sports championship since 2012; the parade will have record-breaking numbers.

The Liberty parade in 2024 was big; this will be much larger.

SignalTube