A trip to the center of Knicks merch mania

We visited the epicenter of NBA bootleg gear, where the sellers of AI-generated t-shirts and airbrushed tanks are scrambling to keep up with fandom. As the 90 degree sun blared in Midtown Manhattan last Friday, a crowd of dozens flooded the entrance of Madison Square Garden snaking out of the venue’s door—not for a concert or a game, but for merch. It was just five hours before game 2 of the NBA finals, and the line to snag an official jersey or a cap at the Knicks’ home arena seemed to be never-ending, despite moving quickly.