Mamdani cashed in on mayoral perks for Knicks tickets and downplayed the price: sources

Mayor Zohran Mamdani flexed his political muscle to nab exclusive seats to the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden — potentially running afoul of city ethics rules — and downplayed how much he paid for the hot ticket, The Post has learned.The young democratic socialist mayor claimed he paid “roughly $1,000” for his nosebleeds standing-room spot to Monday night’s Game 3 between the Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, though sources with knowledge of the matter said the ticket actually cost him $750.Regular plebes had to shell out an average of around $7,500 for a ticket to the high-profile event.But Mamdani’s team reached out to MSG ahead of the game and told reps the mayor wanted a half-dozen tickets to attend the NBA Finals ahead of the games this week, and asked for the cheapest seats, according to sources briefed on the conversations.MSG often sets aside a pool of tickets for VIPs, including elected officials, The Post reported earlier this week.Sources noted the move clashes with the “everyman” image the Democratic Socialists of America poster boy — the son of an academic and a prominent filmmaker who grew up on the Upper West Side and attended elite schools — has cultivated as a candidate and since taking office.“Mr.

Man of the People hates corporations until he needs favors from them for cheaper tickets than any other New Yorker could only dream of,” snarked one Dem operative.Sources said the mayor offered to pay for attending a game, but he needed MSG to help set up the purchase, with tickets open to the public selling almost immediately, and the secondary market seeing prices soar to record highs.Requesting the special seats also veered into ethically gray territory even though the mayor paid for his ticket.A vaguely worded opinion from the city’s Conflict of Interest Board appear to say the ask could run afoul of valuable gifts guidelines for elected officials.Soliciting the purchase of a ticket to a “hot” event would violate ethics...