Best Seats in the House

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The NY Post profiled the man with the "Best Seats" at Madison Square Garden in their Sunday Page 6 Magazine [sorry, no link to the article]. He is NY taxi tycoon, Andrew Murstein.

The Blue Seaters can only dream as they scrape together next season's annual tribute to the Dolan dynasty.

He's got the BEST SEATS in the house

Whether it's the Rangers or the Knicks, the Westminster dog show or Pearl Jam, one man has the most covetable, luxe perch at Madison Square Garden. Meet Taxi tycoon Andrew Murstein, who pays $600,000 a year to be sitting pretty.

When is a luxuary box more than a luxury box? When it's so close to the action - in fact, centered over a tunnel leading out of Madison Square Garden's arena floor - that Rangers players exiting the ice hand your children their just used hockey sticks. When its six leather chairs are available to you and your guests for any event - game, concert, circus, monster-truck pull - all year long. Or there's the short answer: A luxury box is redefined when you're taxi-cab medallion scion Andrew Murstein.

For $600,000 a year Andrew is the proud owner of MSG's VIP Luxury Box No. 1, a group of six seats perched just off the floor at center court, with three televisions, waiter service and access to a private restaurant (called Suite 200). Sampras vs. Federer, Stanley Cup play-offs. Madonna. No matter the event, Andrew has the best seats in the house. VIP Luxury Box No. 1 has its own private entrance that only the Dolan family, who own MSG, and Andrew (and his guests) get to use. "It's at 4 Penn Plaza," Andrew explains. "When you enter, you have an escort who meets you and walks you underneath the Garden." Walking through the bowels of the arena provides a unique backstage perspective, says Andrew. " ....

MSG last year [turned] a former radio play-by-play area, positioned just above a tunnel leading out of the arena floor, into the $600,000-a-year VIP luxury Box No. 1. (Murstein has the lease for three years.) ...

"I took a client and his son to a Rangers game. After the first period a player handed his stick to the kid." ...

When MSG offered to put leather captain's chairs in the box, he said no. "It was too showy." When they suggested turning his area into a jury box during hockey games by putting a spotlight on the seats and asking his section to give a thumbs up or down on whether or not to pull the goalie, he said, "No, I don't think fans should be making those decisions." It's hard to say what's more jaw-dropping: That MSG offered, or he turned it down...

God bless the Cab King.

MSG is truly for royalty. A king in VIP Luxury Box No. 1. A Prince on the ice guarding goal for the Rangers. And a flock of sycophant court jesters working at the MSG channel.

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