Madison Square Garden, "The World's Most Famous Arena," sits atop Penn Station in the heart of midtown Manhattan, home to the Knicks and Rangers and a regular host of Big East and other college basketball events. The circular bowl and low ceiling create an unusually intimate sightline for an arena its size, and the building's marquee draws A-list celebrities courtside on any given night. It doubles as New York's premier concert hall, hosting everyone from touring rock acts to comedy specials and boxing cards. Few arenas anywhere carry the same mystique for both athletes and performers.
The current Garden opened in 1968, the fourth building to carry the name since the original 1879 arena. It has hosted defining sports moments including Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier's 1971 "Fight of the Century," Willis Reed's legendary limping entrance in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals, and countless Rangers and Knicks playoff runs, including the Rangers' 1994 Stanley Cup title. The building is also historically tied to college basketball through the Big East and NIT tournaments. A major renovation completed in 2013 modernized the arena while preserving its iconic circular design and cultural standing as sport's most storied venue.
Source: RateGame editorial