New York Knicks emailed staff free championship rings, those who clicked got a surprise
The New York Knicks organization sent a fake email to staff offering free championship rings as part of a mandatory cybersecurity phishing test. The move was intended to improve security awareness following a real hacking incident, though the timing of the test drew criticism.
Why it matters
It illustrates the aggressive tactics companies are using to combat phishing and the potential for employee backlash when security training mimics real-world rewards.
Madison Square Garden Sports, the parent company of the New York Knicks, has admitted that an email offering staff free NBA championship rings was a phishing test. Employees who clicked to reserve a ring were sent to a mandatory cybersecurity class instead.The company has now called it an "unfortunate mistake." It says it will hand out more than 275 championship rings and pieces of jewellery, worth over $3.7 million, to players, coaches, employees and others in the organisation. The timing made the episode sting. The Knicks won the 2026 NBA title in June, their first since 1973, and the franchise is still in the middle of celebrating it.The Knicks championship ring email was built to look officialThe email went out to a long list of MSG employees in late September, weeks before the team's ring-and-banner ceremony.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in