Madison Square Garden Entertainment has filed a defamation lawsuit against WIRED magazine, alleging the publication used stolen data to fabricate a report that the venue maintains a secret database tracking celebrities, including members of the LGBTQ community.

The lawsuit, filed by MSG, accuses WIRED of creating a false narrative by cherry-picking fragments of data obtained from a cyberattack by the group ShinyHunters. MSG contends that the data was part of a standard system for relationship management, not discriminatory purposes, and that WIRED intentionally ignored mundane fields like addresses and phone numbers.

WIRED’s article, titled "Madison Square Garden Kept a List of Gay Celebrities," claimed the venue used internal databases to track VIP guest characteristics, such as race, sexual orientation, and gender identity, assigning "risk scores" to famous fans. The report suggested these scores were used to flag celebrities who criticized the venue, potentially blocking them from receiving complimentary tickets.

According to WIRED's reporting, the database contained nearly 40,000 names, with approximately 400 assigned risk scores from "low risk" to "DO NOT HOST." The article cited specific examples, including comedian Adam Pally labeled "not to be hosted," and hip-hop artists Lil Jon and DaBaby categorized as "high risk." Country singer Morgan Wallen was reportedly marked as "medium risk," and nearly 100 names, including Ricky Martin and Phoebe Bridgers, were labeled "LGBTQIA."

MSG's lawsuit states that WIRED "combed the dark web, obtained data stolen from MSG by an extortionist hacking group, and cherry-picked fragments of that data to manufacture a false narrative portraying MSG as targeting the LGBTQIA community for discriminatory purposes."

WIRED has stated it stands by its reporting and intends to fight the lawsuit vigorously, calling it "baseless and ridiculous." The outlet added that it would continue its coverage of MSG and its owner, James Dolan, and his use of technology across his entertainment holdings.

The data breach occurred after the cybercriminal collective ShinyHunters posted 45 gigabytes of MSG files online. WIRED reported that a member of the hacking group claimed that Dolan’s past controversial surveillance practices, including the use of facial recognition technology at his venues to enforce exclusion lists, partly motivated the targeting of MSG.

In a separate event on June 8, 2026, President Donald Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. His attendance led to enhanced security measures in New York City.