Knicks Tout ‘Hustle’ In New Ads

The New York Knicks — the team that once sold out a record 433 straight home games at Madison Square Garden — is now pushing tickets for its upcoming season to commuters with 2,750 poster cards on Metro North, Long Island Railroad and NJ Transit. You remember, the team that once had Pat Riley patrolling the sidelines, Patrick Ewing on the blocks and Charles Oakley instilling fear in the paint. The team who could count on 19,763 in the building and Spike Lee barking at Reggie Miller.

All of which makes its latest ad campaign a sad reminder of what once was. The excitement and euphoria of the mid-90s Knicks has been replaced with the new — Jamal Crawford the closest thing to a marketable star the Knicks have had in years. Jonathan Supranowitz, vice president, public relations for the Knickerbockers, declined to say what was spent on the campaign, which was done in house. We hope it wasn’t alot, because apart from Crawford’s placard, the juice just isn’t there.

No offense to David Lee — we’re sure he does hustle.

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