Pablo Torre shared an intriguing story: “Ranger became a social media phenomenon. The dog went viral around 2018 and 2019. He was photographed with players, appeared on the Jumbotron, and was officially called the ‘team’s best friend.’ If you’re now wondering how the team’s best friend could coexist with the team’s owner—good question. As one former Garden official put it, ‘There was definitely an effort to keep the dog away from James Dolan. Ranger would often stay beneath his handler’s desk in the office.'”
“However, according to our MSG sources, there was a tipping point. A group of models who frequently sit near Dolan at games spotted this adorable Labrador and started asking if they could bring their own dogs.”
“MSG did not respond to our request for comment, but former high-ranking Garden executives recall that just before Ranger was about to be introduced in person at a game—the team’s unofficial dog mascot—the plan was abruptly canceled. As one source put it, Dolan had effectively banished an autism service puppy from the arena, in addition to his human enemies.”
