Madison Square Garden vs Wired: A Clash Over False Claims

A new lawsuit in Manhattan shows Madison Square Garden (MSG) taking legal action against Wired magazine. The venue says Wired published a piece that wrongly accused it of secretly tracking gay celebrity fans using stolen data. MSG argues the article was built on hacked information and painted a false picture of discrimination against LGBTQIA people. The lawsuit claims Wired used data stolen by an unknown hacker group. MSG says the article tried to create a narrative that it targets LGBTQIA individuals, calling this “creepy surveillance. ” MSG says it has never done such things. It has a long record of supporting the LGBTQIA community, giving money to related charities and having an employee group that helps its staff.

Wired’s July 9 story alleged MSG kept a database of celebrities, giving them “risk scores” and labeling many as LGBTQIA. MSG says the list was made by reporters who twisted raw data, not something the venue actually kept. The data came from a normal customer relationship system that helps with invitations to events, sales, sponsorships and donations. MSG says the system is used for good community outreach, not spying. The venue has said Wired has published several other untrue stories about MSG before. They want a correction and damages, plus an apology. The lawsuit also points out that MSG recently helped the New York Knicks win their first NBA title, showing it is a positive force in sports. In short, MSG says Wired made up the story to make drama, while it stands by its record of inclusion and support for LGBTQIA people. Wired has not yet responded to the court filing.

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