NEW YORK • New York Knicks super-fan Anthony Donahue made an emotional return to Madison Square Garden on Tuesday as the National Basketball Association (NBA) team played in front of their home fans for the first time in almost a year.
He was one of 2,000 supporters that cheered the hosts on against the Golden State Warriors, 352 days since spectators were last allowed into the iconic venue before the Covid-19 pandemic shutdown.
"The Garden is more than just an arena. It's life for a lot of us," said Donahue, who has barely missed a Knicks game since attending his first at age 10 in the mid-1990s.
New York state governor Andrew Cuomo earlier this month paved the way for the Knicks to welcome back supporters when he announced that he would allow stadiums to open at 10 per cent capacity.
"I'm excited. I'm anxious. I'm nervous," Donahue told Agence France-Presse.
Despite watching the Knicks lose 114-106 to the visiting Golden State Warriors, his excitement remains untinged.
New York, for years among the worst teams in the NBA, are seventh in the Eastern Conference this season and in the running for a play-off place since 2012-13.
During the shutout, Donahue suffered personal tragedy after his 21-year-old sister Gianna Gregoire died from brain cancer in August.
Gregoire, also a hardcore Knicks fan, would go to about 10 or 15 games a season with her brother.
Donahue admitted it had been "horrible" to have been locked out of the Knicks' arena over the past year without any outlet to release his pent-up emotions.
"The Garden is my outlet over the years. Even if the Knicks aren't winning, life is always great when you're at the Garden," he said.
"So to go through so much in my personal life and not be able to go back to the Garden has been awful."
As a season-ticket holder for around two decades, Donahue got priority for the highly sought-after tickets which are selling on the secondary market for as high as US$5,127 (S$6,770), according to TicketIQ.com.
He arrived three hours before the tip-off time, in part to make sure his health declaration and negative Covid-19 test - within the past 72 hours - were in order.
"I also gotta take everything in. I have to breathe the Garden air," Donahue, who wore a Knicks cap, sweatshirt, jacket, neck chain and of course, mask, explained.
The American, who has a Knicks tattoo on his left leg and describes himself as the "biggest Knicks fan in the world" on Instagram and Twitter, added: "The Knicks are my life. The Knicks and my sister, that's truly all I've ever really cared about the last 20 years."
In line with Mr Cuomo's announcement, the Brooklyn Nets also played in front of 300 fans, marking their first home game in front of spectators since March 8 last year as they beat the Sacramento Kings 127-118 on Tuesday.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
