The Van Gundy surname will remain beloved among New York Knicks fans but its value may have taken a hit.
NBA head coach-turned-TNT analyst Stan Van Gundy, brother of longtime Knicks boss Jeff, took aim at the metropolitan faithful in an interview with Steve Serby of the New York Post. Previewing the Knicks' upcoming first-round playoff date with the Detroit Pistons, Van Gundy scoffed at the idea that a "love affair" exists between the team and those who pack Madison Square Garden.
"Well, they’re passionate [but] love affair? I don’t know," Van Gundy said. "Love affair when they’re playing well, and hate affair when they’re not playing well. The Knicks fans and the [Philadelphia] fans, they are … they’re front-running fans. They’re in love with their team when things are going well, but they’ll boo their team off the floor when they’re not playing well. That’s not a crowd that’s focused on lifting you up."
Knicks fans have taken issue with Van Gundy's theory and the data backs them up: their ability to pack opposing arenas in this modern heyday (perhaps evidenced by the fact that the Pistons are restricting out-of-region ticket sales for their first-round playoff segments) is apparent enough but numbers from their most recent down-and-out periods hint at no lost love.
In 2021-22, the last season the Knicks did not appear in the NBA playoffs, New York still placed eighth in attendance. Three seasons prior, the Knicks were still in the top 10 despite posting a 17-65 record, tied for the worst tally in franchise history.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau took note of Knicks fans' travel habits during a January win over the rival Brooklyn Nets, where Knicks fans engineered a successful cross-borough takeover of Barclays Center. Knicks fans previously sieged Wells Fargo Center during last year's opening round, helping their team secure a couple of key road victories en route to a six-game triumph over the Philadelphia 76ers.
“I think it’s unique for New York and as you mentioned it’s not just here,” Thibodeau said, per Barbara Barker of Newsday. “It seems when we do play here, obviously we have a lot of fans and we have a great fan base and they’re all over the country. So they support the team and we have great appreciation for that and we want to give them something that they can be proud of.”
