St. John’s University is a private Catholic university located in New York City. The school fields NCAA Division I athletic teams known as the St. John’s Red Storm. St. John’s home basketball venue is Carnesecca Arena, located on the school’s Queens campus. However, for select high-profile home games each season, St. John’s will play at the iconic Madison Square Garden (MSG) in midtown Manhattan.
Quick Answers
Yes, St. John’s periodically plays home basketball games at Madison Square Garden. MSG serves as an alternate or secondary home venue for St. John’s in addition to Carnesecca Arena on campus. The Red Storm have a long history of playing games at MSG.
St. John’s Home Arenas
St. John’s opened Carnesecca Arena on campus in 1961. With a capacity of 5,602, it serves as the regular home arena for St. John’s basketball. However, due to its more limited size, St. John’s will play select major home games each season at Madison Square Garden. This provides the opportunity to draw much larger crowds and generate more revenue in the large arena setting.
MSG has a maximum basketball capacity of 19,812, over three times larger than Carnesecca Arena. St. John’s will typically play 1-3 Red Storm home games per season at MSG against high-profile opponents to create more buzz and exposure for the program.
Carnesecca Arena
Named after legendary St. John’s coach Lou Carnesecca, this on-campus facility opened in 1961 and has been the primary home for St. John’s basketball ever since. In addition to men’s and women’s basketball, the arena has hosted numerous other university events over the decades such as commencement ceremonies, concerts, and more.
Carnesecca Arena underwent major renovations in 2009-2011 with upgrades including new seating, scoreboards, and video boards. Even with the renovations, its relatively small capacity limits the attendance and revenue potential for major games compared to MSG.
Madison Square Garden
Known as “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” Madison Square Garden opened in 1968 and has hosted hundreds of major sports and entertainment events over the past 50+ years. MSG is home to the NBA’s New York Knicks and NHL’s New York Rangers.
In addition, MSG regularly hosts major college basketball events such as the NIT Season Tip-Off and 2K Classic tournaments. St. John’s will periodically play home games at MSG against marquee opponents to draw larger crowds and exposure.
St. John’s Basketball History at MSG
St. John’s has a long history of showcasing Red Storm basketball at Madison Square Garden over the past 70+ years going back to the 1950s.
Some notable highlights include:
- In 1952, St. John’s played a home game vs. Loyola Chicago at MSG in front of 14,686 fans.
- During the 1950s and 60s, St. John’s would play multiple home games each year at MSG, including matchups against local rivals like NYU.
- In the 1980s, Lou Carnesecca’s St. John’s teams starring Chris Mullin regularly played major home games at MSG, drawing big crowds and exposure.
- Through the 1990s and 2000s, St. John’s continued frequently playing home contests at MSG against top opponents.
- In 2011, St. John’s drew a crowd of 20,107 for a win vs. #3 Duke at MSG.
- As recently as 2018-19, St. John’s played 3 home games at MSG against California, Georgetown, and Marquette.
The tradition continues today with St. John’s scheduling marquee home matchups at Madison Square Garden to showcase Red Storm basketball on the big stage.
Recent & Upcoming Games at MSG
Here is a look at some of St. John’s recent and upcoming home games scheduled to be played at Madison Square Garden:
Date | Opponent | Attendance |
---|---|---|
1/26/2020 | DePaul | 11,017 |
2/2/2020 | Butler | 12,702 |
12/11/2021 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | 7,749 |
12/18/2021 | St. Bonaventure | 9,511 |
2/5/2022 | Seton Hall | 14,644 |
12/11/2022 | Syracuse | TBD |
These recent attendances illustrate how playing at MSG allows St. John’s to draw much larger crowds compared to on-campus. Facing local rivals like Syracuse at MSG provides great exposure for St. John’s basketball.
Benefits of Playing at MSG
There are several major benefits St. John’s basketball receives from periodically playing home games at Madison Square Garden:
Increased Attendance & Revenue
MSG can hold over 3 times more fans than Carnesecca Arena, allowing St. John’s to generate significantly higher ticket sales and revenue from big games compared to playing on campus.
Stage for Marquee Matchups
MSG provides the ideal stage for St. John’s to host major non-conference opponents or key Big East rivalry games, showcasing Red Storm basketball on a national level.
Exposure & Recruiting
Playing on the “big stage” at MSG enhances St. John’s visibility and brand, aiding recruiting efforts. Top prospects often dream of playing at MSG.
Fan Experience
MSG provides St. John’s fans a more premier game experience versus on-campus with better seating options, concessions, and amenities.
Challenges of Playing at MSG
While there are certainly major benefits, there are also some challenges St. John’s faces when playing home games at Madison Square Garden:
No True Home Court Advantage
Unlike Carnesecca Arena where St. John’s plays regularly, MSG is a neutral court so they lose some home court edge.
Scheduling & Availability
With MSG hosting the Knicks, Rangers, and many concerts/shows, scheduling open dates for St. John’s games can be difficult.
Fan Turnout
Occasionally St. John’s has struggled to fill MSG for some games vs. lesser opponents, with attendance below arena capacity.
Transportation & Logistics
Playing off-campus at MSG requires extra travel time and logistical coordination compared to home games on campus.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while Carnesecca Arena serves as the day-to-day home court for St. John’s basketball, Madison Square Garden provides the opportunity to host major marquee games in front of huge crowds. This generates increased exposure, revenue and fan experience compared to playing on campus.
St. John’s rich history of playing home games at MSG dates back over 70 years. Today, the Red Storm will typically play 1-3 home contests per season at MSG against top-tier opponents from major conferences or key Big East rivals.
Moving forward, expect St. John’s to continue showcasing elite Red Storm basketball at “The World’s Most Famous Arena” for big-time matchups that draw attention nationally.