Barring a last minute settlement, New York Knicks Isiah Thomas is likely going to be found guilty of sexual harassment soon. No matter what happens from here (whether Knicks owner James Dolan chooses to fire Isiah or not), keep one thing in mind: The number of fans that show up at Madison Square Garden this year will be dependent on how the team is doing, not anything else.
Tomorrow, columnists are going to write about how Dolan has to fire Isiah to avoid a marketing disaster or maybe even protests in front of the Garden. Those reporters need to make sure they understand the business reality.
It would be nice if fans really cared about a hostile and unfair work environment. They do not. It would be nice if they cared about the character of their coach. They do not. Trust me. The Knicks attendance at the end of the season will be directly related to how they play on the court. And if they win 50, the Knicks will be selling out again.
UPDATE: News has come in that Isiah Thomas has been convicted of sexual harassment. The jury also found that Madison Square Garden committed harassment against the same woman, and ruled that MSG should have to pay her punitive damages. Both Thomas and MSG say in separate statements, that they are innocent and plan to appeal.
Questions? Comments? SportsBiz@cnbc.com
