Charles Barkley’s Rant on New York Fans Met With $2000 Reality Check from Knicks Reporter

Charles Barkley was feeling a little possessive about his Sixers today. Home crowds matter in the playoffs to give the resident team some encouragement. However, reports indicate that the Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia has a few empty seats. Moreover, there seems to be a surge of New York Knicks fans in the home of the 76ers in Game 3. Chuck lashed out at the presence of Knicks fans in his territory on Inside the NBA. Now a New York-based reporter responded to his rant with an honest admission about the cost of being a fan.

Barbara Barker, an NBA writer, wrote on X addressing Chuck, “That’s cause you have coin and get into games for free, Charles, lol. Sixers tickets a third of the price of tickets at MSG. Short drive down turnpike.”

The former Sixers forward was showing his irritation at the crowd in Game 3 saying, “I’m disgusted… at all those Knicks fans there.” It was when Jalen Brunson was getting most of the cheers making Ernie Johnson point out, “It sounds like a home game.”

To Barker’s point, Madison Square Garden has always been a premium venue. While the MSG game was sold out, the ticket prices ranged from anything between $350 to $2,000 or more on ticketing websites. In contrast, Wells Fargo tickets are priced around $69, far more affordable for New Yorkers to watch their team in the playoffs. Ahead of Game 3, reports also revealed that Wells Fargo was not a sold-out venue which probably gave enough room for the Knicks fans to swipe up some seats.

Barkley is entitled to his feelings. However, fans are also entitled to travel where their teams are playing. No rules prohibit them from cheering the other team in a different arena.

Sixers redeem Charles Barkley

When it was clear that Sixers fans would be the minority in their home arena tonight, social media users predicted that chants for Brunson would be obvious. That is exactly what was happening when Brunson made 39 points. When Kenny Smith defended the fans’ presence, stating it’s a two-and-a-half-hour drive between both cities, Charles Barkley said, “I don’t give a damn. You can’t have them people in the building making all that noise. It really sounded like a home game for the Knicks. I’m so disappointed.”

However, the underwhelming home crowd got its due when Joel Embiid burst for a 50-point outing, helping Philly win 125-114, putting the series at 1-2. It’s redemption for the jeers he was subjected to in New York for calling out refs.

Notably, this isn’t the only fan war going on in the background of this series. Brunson, with Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, played in Wells Fargo as Villanova students. When their alma mater celebrated their alumni for Game 2, Villanova received backlash from Philly residents. Brunson and Hart displayed their own disappointment at the fans’ behavior.

The fan wars are only going to escalate as the Sixers are not out of the series yet. Do you think fans are a deciding factor?