Madison Square Garden is suing WIRED over LGBTQ celebrity watch list report
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Madison Square Garden Entertainment has filed a defamation lawsuit against WIRED magazine over a recent report that claims the venue maintains a secret celebrity roster.
The 40-page lawsuit accuses WIRED of using the hacked data to create a false story that MSG maintains an internal blacklist targeting LGBTQ celebrities.
The article, titled “Madison Square Garden Kept a List of Gay Celebrities,” states that MSG uses internal databases to track the characteristics of VIP guests and celebrities, including their race, gender, and gender identity, while assigning famous fans “risk scores.”
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President Donald Trump attends Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on June 8, 2026, in New York City. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
“WIRED combed the dark web, found data stolen from MSG by a hacking gang, and cherry-picked bits and pieces of that data to create a false story portraying MSG as targeting the LGBTQIA community for racist purposes,” MSG wrote in the lawsuit, obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
MSG accused WIRED and its reporters of intentionally ignoring dozens of standard information fields on the list, such as addresses, phone numbers and dietary restrictions. According to the lawsuit, these common fields prove that the data was part of a general system used for “relationship management purposes, not discrimination.”
WIRED said in a statement to X that it stood by its reporting and vowed to fight the case. “Earlier today, WIRED learned that Madison Square Garden was suing us for our accurate reporting. We stand by this report, and plan to vigorously defend it against this baseless and baseless lawsuit.”
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“We look forward to continuing our reporting on MSG, and using the technology of billionaire James Dolan throughout his entertainment empire. It is one part of our broader mission and the important work of journalists, now more than ever: to hold the power of accountability,” they added.
According to this article, the MSG database contains nearly 40,000 words, with 400 assigned a “risk score” ranging from low risk to “DO NOT HOST.” WIRED said the results followed criticism on social media rather than security threats, which allegedly flagged celebrities who spoke ill of the venue to prevent them from receiving free tickets.
According to WIRED, comedian Adam Pally is listed as “not to be treated,” while hip-hop stars Lil Jon and DaBaby are allegedly classified as “high risk.” Country star Morgan Wallen was also tagged as “moderate risk.” The report also highlighted that nearly 100 names were labeled “LGBTQIA,” including pop figures Ricky Martin and Phoebe Bridgers.
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The data was first exposed after an international cybercriminal group, ShinyHunters, breached MSG's systems and dumped 45 gigabytes of files online after Dolan refused to pay a ransom.
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Fans gather at Madison Square Garden for a watch party during Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs on June 5, 2026, in New York City. (Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images)
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WIRED reported that a member of the gang said they targeted MSG less because of Dolan's controversial past surveillance practices. At his venues, which include the Las Vegas Sphere and Radio City Music Hall, the faces of all who enter are scrutinized.
Dolan has come under intense scrutiny for using facial recognition technology to enforce blacklists, including lawyers involved in active lawsuits against his company, according to a New York Times report.
