Knicks owner, MSG chairman James Dolan has coronavirus

James Dolan, executive chairman of Madison Square Garden Company and owner of New York Knicks, has tested positive for coronavirus. Knicks anunced Dolan’s diagsis Saturday night. It is t clear when he was tested or when he received diagsis.

Dolan is first U.S. major pro sports owner kwn to have tested positive for virus. He also owns NHL’s New York Rangers, along with or venues like Radio City Music Hall, Hulu atre and Chicago atre.

“ Madison Square Garden Company Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim Dolan has tested positive for coronavirus,” Knicks’ statement said. “He has been in self-isolation and is experiencing little to symptoms. He continues to oversee business operations.”

New York has been hotspot for pandemic in U.S.

All 50 U.S. states have reported some cases of virus that causes COVID-19, but New York has most, with over 52,000 positive tests for illness and more than 700 deaths. About 7,300 people were in New York hospitals Saturday, including about 1,800 in intensive care.

For most people, new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, which can include fever and cough but also milder cases of pneumonia, sometimes requiring hospitalization. risk of death is greater for older adults and people with or health problems.

Dolan is one of most polarizing sports figures in New York. Earlier this month, Oscar-winning writer-director Spike Lee — one of Knicks’ best-kwn fans — criticized Dolan after getting into a disagreement with MSG personnel about which entrance to arena he could use. Dolan has also publicly clashed in recent years with former Knicks forward Charles Oakley, and frustrated fans chanted “sell team” at some games this season.

NBA has been shut down since March 11, night that Utah center Rudy Gobert became first player in league to have a positive diagsis for virus revealed. Knicks played host to Utah — which later had Gobert and Dovan Mitchell test positive — on March 4 and played host to Detroit on March 8. Pistons center Christian Wood also later tested positive for virus.

Gobert, Mitchell and Wood have all since recovered.

64-year-old Dolan also serves as executive chairman of MSG Networks, and has been chairman of Garden and owner of Knicks since 1999.