The Jeremy Lin Show returns to Madison Square Garden on Friday night, and it’s a hit at the box office.
After Lin captivated crowds with breakout performances in the Knicks’ recent back-to-back wins, a re-energized fan base is lining up for tickets to see what the undrafted second-year point guard from Harvard will do next.
According to secondary-ticket site aggregator SeatGeek, transaction volume on the secondhand market for the Knicks’ game Friday against the Lakers nearly quadrupled — to 1,125 stubs swapped from an average of 310 the three days prior — in the 24 hours after Lin dazzled with 28 points in Monday’s home victory over the Jazz.
Lin’s rapid rise from benchwarmer to crowd favorite also stoked a 13-percent spike in average prices for the game against Kobe Bryant’s club, to $312.51 from $276.39, and bump of 36 percent for next Wednesday’s more affordable matchup against the Hornets ($89 to $121).
“There’s something now for Knicks fans to hang their hats on and get excited about,” said Will Flaherty, SeatGeek’s director of communications. “It’s a really great underdog story. His unique background only adds to that.”
The surge in demand compares favorably to the one the Clippers enjoyed upon acquiring Chris Paul and approached the rush for tickets at the Garden after the Knicks trade for Carmelo Anthony last winter, Flaherty said.
“It lends credence to the argument Lin is driving up ticket prices,” Flaherty said.