James Dolan on media rights
From James Dolan Speaks On Thibs Firing, Championship Expectations, MSG Networks Business Changing & More · · PanKnick
“I don't think over the long term you're probably not going to get your games from the cable company; they're probably going to be streaming.”
On , James Dolan, Executive Chairman & Chief Executive Officer at MADISON SQUARE GARDEN SPORTS, spoke about media rights during James Dolan Speaks On Thibs Firing, Championship Expectations, MSG Networks Business Changing & More on PanKnick.
About James Dolan
James Dolan, Executive Chairman and CEO of Madison Square Garden Sports, gave a series of interviews in early January 2026, his first public comments in three years. He discussed the decision, made with team president Leon Rose, to fire head coach Tom Thibodeau after the team's Eastern Conference Finals appearance. Dolan said the team needed to "evolve beyond the old traditional coaching formulas" and that Thibodeau's style was not suited to the current NBA, which he described as more complicated and focused on player development. Dolan stated he and Rose talked to Thibodeau throughout the previous season about their direction, but characterized Thibodeau as "stubborn." When asked if Thibodeau was surprised by the firing, Dolan replied, "We decided to surprise him." Dolan stated that the Knicks' goal is an NBA championship and that they will not raise a banner for winning the Emirates Cup. He said he is "fairly happy" with the current roster and does not anticipate a significant trade before the deadline, asking "who do you want to lose?" regarding the team's core players. Dolan also said he was not aware of any trade talks for Giannis Antetokounmpo)Skip. On the topic of ownership, Dolan stated, "Ownership is not an achievement," adding that he still enjoys participating in team building but does not "fool" himself about the nature of ownership.