There are surprisingly few constants when it comes to sports teams handing out championship rings.
We know a championship ring is going to be gaudy. We know that the players who won this championship will get one. We know there will be some sort of ceremony. But beyond that, it’s really up to the team how far they want to go, especially when it comes to how many employees actually benefit.
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This uncertainty has become relevant thanks to the breakthrough of the New York Knicks.
The Athletic’s Joe Vardon reports that in September, several Madison Square Garden employees received an email offering recipients a first look at their championship rings, with two designs to choose from for their new jewelry:
“Congratulations, your employee championship ring is here,” the email read.
“(Employee’s name), this one is offered by the house. MSG offers a free championship ring to employees. The same jeweler, the same know-how, personalized with your name. At no cost to you.
“There are two models to choose from: Championship Gold and Garden Classic. Reserve the one you want below.”
A number of employees clicked on the link in the email. Instead of a ring, their reward would have been a required cybersecurity course, as the email was an elaborate phishing test orchestrated to address Dolan’s cybersecurity concerns.
What makes this situation even more bizarre is that many longtime Madison Square Garden employees, including some who work in the Knicks’ business operations, reportedly won’t receive rings at all.
The Knicks are still working on getting their championship rings to the right people.
(USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect/REUTERS)
Again, there is no set rule that employees receive championship rings, but owners are often generous in this regard, although most employees receive toned down rings compared to the diamond-encrusted monsters that players receive. And employees who don’t receive them are usually not psychologically haunted by fake ring offers from their own company.
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The coaching staff also almost always gets rings, but the Knicks also differed from the norm in one way.
The Knicks assistant coaches all received boxes clearly intended to hold the rings while upbeat music played at Madison Square Garden. According to The Athletic, these boxes were empty.
Assistant coaches are expected to eventually receive those rings, but they were not available Tuesday because the team is still reportedly measuring ring sizes and placing orders.
The Athletic points out that Oklahoma City Thunder assistants also didn’t receive their rings on opening night last year. The Thunder just didn’t pretend to have them during the ceremony.
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Another difference between the Knicks’ ring night and the Thunder’s was the presence of NBA commissioner Adam Silver — or lack thereof in the Knicks’ case. The NBA commissioner is usually there to address the crowd and present players with their rings, but Knicks great Walt Frazier was the one handing out the rings on Tuesday.
Silver was relegated to a chair on the other side of the field, while NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Jon Bon Jovi stood behind announcer Mike Breen. Dolan and Silver are well known for being at odds, and Silver’s placement appears to be another way Dolan’s presence was felt during a celebratory occasion for the Knicks.
The Knicks then lost their first game 106-100 to the Philadelphia 76ers.
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