Key facts
- Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. is suing Wired Magazine for defamation.
- The lawsuit alleges a July article falsely claimed MSG tracked celebrities' sexual orientation for discriminatory purposes.
- MSG states the article used stolen data to create a false narrative and denies targeting the LGBTQIA community.
- Wired Magazine asserts it stands by its reporting and will vigorously defend the lawsuit.
- MSG is seeking damages, a retraction, and correction of the statements.
Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. has filed a defamation lawsuit against Wired Magazine, alleging that a July article falsely portrayed the venue as surveilling celebrities' sexual orientation for discriminatory purposes. The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, claims Wired used data stolen by a hacking group to "manufacture a false narrative portraying MSG as targeting the LGBTQIA community for discriminatory purposes."
The article, published on July 9, reportedly accused MSG of maintaining a secret database of celebrities, assigning them "risk scores," and cataloging their race, gender, and sexual identity, with dozens allegedly categorized as "LGBTQIA."
MSG vehemently denies these accusations, stating that it is a "fervent supporter of the LGBTQIA community with a long history of inclusion, not exclusion." The company explained that the data was from a standard customer relationship management platform used for customer service, including extending invitations to LGBTQIA support events and identifying sponsorship opportunities. MSG also noted that Wired has published several previous articles that it deems manipulative.
Wired, in response, has stated, "We stand by this reporting, and we plan to vigorously defend it against this baseless and ridiculous lawsuit." The publication indicated its intention to continue covering MSG and James Dolan's entertainment empire, emphasizing its mission to hold power accountable.
The lawsuit seeks a retraction and correction of the statements, along with compensatory, presumed, special, and punitive damages, and attorney's fees. The article cited specific celebrities, including Morgan Wallen, Ice Spice, Selena Gomez, Benson Boone, Fat Joe, Ricky Martin, Phoebe Bridgers, and Emily Green. The report also mentioned that approximately 100 out of 40,000 individuals on the list were tagged as LGBTQIA, with the reason for the tag being unclear.