A few months after Roger Goodell attended one of Jon Bon Jovi's shows at Madison Square Garden, the two reunited to attend the New York Knicks' Opening Night loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
He had one of the most highly coveted seats in the house for the game, sitting courtside at MSG. Goodell and Bon Jovi—along with David Zaslav in between them—were visible during Mike Breen's speech during the championship ring ceremony.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has a good seat for the #Knicks ring ceremony tonight: pic.twitter.com/uFnvID6IhQ
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 20, 2026
Of course, tickets were not cheap, with the median get-in price on TickPick reaching an NBA regular season record of $1,894, with lots of tickets selling for upwards of $5,000.
Fans reacted to Roger Goodell and Bon Jovi at the Knicks-76ers Opening Night game
Fans had mixed responses to Goodell's cameo at the game. One joked, “He's confused why all four quarters are on the streaming service,” in the comments section of Ari Meirov's post on X, formerly Twitter.
Another made a joke about Goodell “scouting the Christmas Day schedule.” Over the last few years, the NFL has encroached on the NBA's Christmas Day programming, scheduling games for the holiday.
Article Continues BelowThe seat he had was not cheap, and fans knew it. One fan quipped that the NFL commissioner was “spending that player fine money” to secure his seat.
Ultimately, the Knicks had a rough Opening Night. It was a ceremonious occasion, as the players received their rings and the banner was raised into the rafters of Madison Square Garden.
However, the new-look Sixers spoiled the festivities, beating the Knicks by six points. Tyrese Maxey caught fire early, scoring 28 points. Jaylen Brown, who was acquired in the offseason, scored 19 points. LeBron James logged 14 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists in his 76ers debut.
The Knicks looked out of rhythm throughout the game. Jalen Brunson led the team with 21 points, but he made just six of 19 shots. Karl-Anthony Towns got hot late, scoring 19 points on 6-for-9 shooting. Former 76ers center Andre Drummond kept them afloat, though, scoring 12 points and securing 14 rebounds.