Howard Stern Willing To Break Covid Lockdown For Knicks Game, But Demands A Front Row Invite

Howard Stern says he has "tremendous interest" in Friday's Game 6 matchup between the Knicks and Celtics in New York City. However, he won't be attending.

"I wait for them to invite me," Stern said on his radio show this week. "You can tell your place in show business by where they place you at the Knicks game. The day they put me in the second row, I quit. Because I consider myself a first-row type person."

"I’m very aware of where they seat me, and it’s very important to me. If they said to me, ‘Look, you’re not gonna be in the first row,’ I’d turn around and leave, it would be embarrassing to me," he continued.

So, he will watch at home.

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 17:  Howard Stern, Beth Ostrosky Stern, Tracy Morgan and Allen Maldonado attend the New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks game at Madison Square Garden on October 17, 2018 in New York City.  (Photo by James Devaney/Getty Images)

It's unclear if the Knicks franchise no longer views Stern as relevant enough for a courtside invite or if the team was under the impression that he was still hunkered down in his basement, trying to evade the COVID virus.

Last we heard, Stern was "back in lockdown" over fears of a new variant around the holidays. 

The Knicks' comms team probably figured there was no point in inviting the shock joc unless the NBA implemented a rule allowing only six-time vaxxed fans to attend.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 22:  (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT)  Radio personality Howard Stern attends a game between the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers at Madison Square Garden on January 22, 2020 in New York City. The Lakers defeated the Knicks 100-92.  NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

In fact, Stern says he has only gone to one Knicks game since the start of COVID-19 in 2020. Before he returned to lockdown, Stern attended a game in 2022, after which he complained that current NBA players ignored him and embraced Tracy Morgan and Chris Rock instead.

"I hope it’s racial," Stern joked, hoping it wasn't a sign of his age or career.

Still, Stern hopes the Knicks invite him to a Finals game if the team advances that far. To do so, New York has to win one of the next two games against Boston and four in the next round against Indiana.

The Knicks' chances are strong. According to FanDuel, the Knicks are +125 favorites to win the East.

As for Howard, he's still skeptical.

"I still feel like the Knicks are gonna blow it," he concluded. "I get agita with that team."