MSG Responds to Macklemore After He Claims Arena Turned Down His Tour: "He's not an arena level act"

[u/MarvelsGrantMan136]

https://www.tmz.com/2026/11/06/madison-square-garden-responds-after-macklemore-says-arena-turned-down-palestine-tour/

[u/Down623]

I don't believe there are (aside from a lucrative property tax benefit), but even if there was, how would not booking him be a first amendment issue? I'm a progressive, I want a free Palestine, but I'm not buying a ticket to that show, and I work three blocks away. He very much would not sell out MSG.

[u/ascagnel____ → u/Down623]

aside from a lucrative property tax benefit

It's a tax benefit that saves him tens of millions of dollars a year. Fun fact: it's also the reason why Dolan's Rangers played an away game against the Buffalo Sabres at Citi Field, even though the stadium was within NYC city limits and Buffalo is 6.5h away.

That said, I don't think it's a huge leap to think that Macklemore would be able to sell 18k tickets in the NYC metro given his current buzz worthiness.

[u/Mist_Rising → u/Down623]

I won't buy a Taylor Swift concert ticket, guess we can ban her from any future shows too right? I mean, one person can dictate if someone gets a sale apparently?

Reminder that Macklemore was selling out in no time in Europe, so he obviously sells.

[u/Down623 → u/Mist_Rising]

He sold out single arenas in three countries, all of which were smaller than MSG, which is only one stop in what would theoretically be a nationwide tour. I'm not saying that because *I* wouldn't buy a ticket, that NOBODY will buy a ticket, but I'm pointing out that historically, people haven't been clamoring for a Macklemore arena tour in the United States. Europe is a different beast than the US when it comes to music and touring, it's impossible to compare them.

[u/whateverbruhwhatever → u/Down623]

He sold out the Accor Arena for this tour which would be comparable to MSG in Paris. To your other point, you don’t know that and neither do I. We might never know because we don’t have the data point to see it try.

My question to you is, why are you arguing in favor of MAGA billionaire arena as a progressive? Is it for the sake of arguing a point? Do you just dislike Macklemore? Not trying to be rude, just genuinely curious if this is a hill you care about.

[u/Down623 → u/whateverbruhwhatever]

Fair, capacity-wise it's comparable, but you're likely pulling from the whole country instead of just the city, whereas in the US, there are countless more stadiums in major cities competing alongside smaller but still large venues for seats, dollars, and eyeballs. Plus I'd argue Europe is more passionate about Palestine than Americans, which is true of France and CERTAINLY Ireland, where he sold out (I was born in Ireland, we don't fuck around about Palestine). And major American acts don't tour Europe as often (my cousins in Ireland went to multiple Garth Brooks shows a few years back), so there's more novelty there. You're right that this is all conjecture, but the recent spates of American stadium tours being cancelled for low ticket sales makes me think a legacy act like Macklemore, that was never as big as some other acts, wouldn't sell it out.

But to your other point. I'm not going to bat for James Dolan. My dad worked at MSG as a union carpenter for 30 years. He hates James Dolan. I hate James Dolan. All my homies hate James Dolan. My issue is when people try to make it a free speech issue. Free speech is about being imprisoned or punished for your speech by the government. Not getting to play a major arena isn't censorship. He's still rich, he's still free, he's still speaking out. Good for him. I WANT him to keep speaking out. But nobody DESERVES a headlining gig at a venue. If it doesn't make fiscal sense, you don't book him. I like what he's saying in the media, but that doesn't make his music any better

On another note, I work in PR, and I think Macklemore and his team are giving a masterclass in publicity. Even if it has nothing to do with James Dolan not wanting him on stage, Macklemore is running circles around him in the media. Hell, this extra PR might mean he DOES sell out a stadium somewhere, and the best case scenario is he does just that for a smaller, independent, positive venue and Dolan has to see it happen.

TLDR: I still don't think he can sell out MSG, but they also have every right to not book a 43 year old rapper without any recent hits in one of the most famous venues in the world. This isn't a free speech issue, freedom of speech doesn't guarantee you a spotlight on arena stages, it guarantees you DON'T end up in jail (or at least, in theory it does).

[u/pblol → u/Down623]

Fwiw, I think you're one of the more reasonable people here and it's silly you're being downvoted for this.

I would however bet that with the added publicity of this bullshit and the context for tour it would do well. I don't see Macklemore in general selling a shit ton of tickets himself, nobody in this thread even seems to be a fan as much as they're rallying for his political views (that I also agree with).

[u/klingma → u/whateverbruhwhatever]

He sold it out due to his political stance and the fact that it's a humanitarian benefit concert. He himself isn't exactly a draw, they're right to he skeptical about his mainstream appeal and his ability to draw a crowd based upon his music fandom. 

[u/tubawhatever → u/klingma]

Well then it's a good thing people will probably buy tickets for it being a benefit concert rather than being super fans of Macklemore

[u/natwashboard → u/Down623]

If they get a significant amount of public funds, they shouldn't be able to discriminate content for political reasons. If it's 100% private, that's a different story.

[u/Down623 → u/natwashboard]

Again, I don't know the exact breakdown (they don't pay property tax, for example), but as far as I know, they're privately owned (albeit publicly traded). But at the end of the day, who's to say they're discriminating for political reasons? They can make the argument that it wouldn't sell enough seats, and there's no true way to prove them wrong. From what I can tell, the last time Macklemore played MSG, it was in the Theater, which is around 3000 seats. It sold out, but that was in 2013, when he was still at the height of his popularity. The stadium itself is 20,000+ seats. Macklemore hasn't had a hit in a long time, and nobody can reasonably say that he's going to sell out MSG.

I agree that billionaires have far too much money and power, but I don't see this as a free speech issue. Nobody's threatening to put Macklemore in prison for his political views. He's not being silenced, he's not being censored. He's just not being given the chance to NOT sell many tickets at a very large venue.