Thousands of New Yorkers are expected to line the streets of Lower Manhattan on Thursday, June 18, as the New York Knicks celebrate their first NBA championship since 1973 with the franchise’s first-ever ticker-tape parade.
The Knicks captured the NBA title by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in five games, capped by a 94-90 victory in Game 5 on June 13 in San Antonio. Along the way, New York rallied from multiple deficits and delivered several memorable moments, including OG Anunoby’s crucial tip-in during Game 4 and Finals MVP Jalen Brunson’s 45-point performance in the championship-clinching Game 5.
The city has been celebrating since Saturday’s historic victory, which ended a 53-year championship drought and delivered the Knicks’ first NBA title since 1973.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has predicted the event could be one of the largest parades in New York City history. Festivities are planned throughout the city, with fans gathering hours before the parade begins.
While showers and gusty winds are possible Thursday, the parade remains scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. at Battery Park and travel through the Canyon of Heroes before ending at City Hall.
How to watch the parade live
A livestream will be available the USA Network and lohud.com.
Major New York City television stations, including Fox 5, My9, CBS 2, NBC 4 and ABC 7, are expected to begin coverage around 9:30 a.m.
For the first time, a New York sports championship parade will also be available on national streaming platforms, including:
Additional livestreams will be available through the Fox 5 YouTube channel and NYC.gov.
Traffic and road closures expected
The parade will begin at Battery Park at 10 a.m., travel north along Broadway through the Canyon of Heroes and end at City Hall.
Large crowds are expected, and fans are encouraged to arrive early. Metro-North is adding trains to accommodate people headed to the parade.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said police will increase their presence throughout the area to help manage crowds and ensure public safety.
Drivers should expect significant traffic delays throughout Lower Manhattan.
Road closure schedule
What is the weather forecast for the Knicks parade?
New York City is likely in for some rain on their parade Thursday, as much of the region may be in for showers, possible thunderstorms starting around 2 p.m. and some potentially strong winds throughout the day.
Thursday is expected to be mostly cloudy with a high near 88 degrees.
The National Weather Service forecasts a 60% chance of showers all day, with thunderstorms and wind gusts as high as 33 mph around 2 p.m. While the parade should be finished by then, crowds may still be gathered at City Hall for the team’s reception.
Subway service and station closures
Beginning at 4:30 a.m. Thursday, the following stations will close and reopen after the parade and City Hall ceremony:
Closed stations
Stations remaining open
Parade route access points
The following intersections will serve as access points to the parade route:
Viewing pens along the route will open at 6 a.m. Thursday.
All attendees will be screened before entering. Bags will not be permitted in or around the parade route.
Prohibited items
The following items are not allowed:
Plastic water bottles will be permitted.
City Hall reception details
The City Hall reception will begin at noon following the parade.
The city is distributing 600 free tickets through an NBA lottery, with 300 winners receiving two tickets each.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Watch Knicks championship parade live: TV, stream, start time
Reporting by Alexandra Rivera, New York Connect Team / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Alexandra Rivera, New York Connect Team | USA TODAY Network
