Garden Secrets: How Celebrities Are Scored for the Big Game
Madison Square Garden (MSG) has been quietly assigning a risk score to more than 400 high‑profile visitors—from pop stars to sports legends—using its own internal database. The scores range from “flag” (low concern) to “banned,” which bars a person from entering the venue entirely.
The list was revealed when a hacker group released files containing almost 40,000 names. Only about one percent of those individuals received a score.
| Risk Level | Example Names | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Flag (Low) | Taylor Swift, Ice Spice, Selena Gomez | Slightly above the lowest tier |
| Low (Lowest) | Edie Falco, Ben Stiller | Fans with minimal concerns |
| Medium | Lily Allen, Anna Wintour, Fat Joe (due to a comment by Jadakiss) | Mid‑tier concerns |
| High | Freddie Gibbs, other rappers | Elevated risk |
| Banned | Lil Tjay | Complete entry prohibition |
The database also logs political affiliations and personal details such as race, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Ninety‑three people are identified as LGBTQIA, including Ricky Martin and Phoebe Bridgers. This level of surveillance follows a prior report that detailed how MSG staff monitored a trans woman’s movements for two years.
While the arena denies officially banning many high‑profile names, the sheer scale of this ranking system raises serious questions about privacy and fairness in a venue that hosts thousands of fans every night.
