![\"Entertainment](\"https:\/\/www.digitalmusicnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/madison-square-garden-sues-wired-for-defamation-1024x576.png\" "\\"Entertainment\\"")
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Photo Credit: Andrew Nyr \/ CC by 4.0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Entertainment Madison Square Garden is filing a defamation suit against Wired<\/em> for alleged defamation over the outlet\u2019s coverage of the leaked MSG celebrity database.<\/h2>\nMadison Square Garden Entertainment is suing Advance Magazine Publishers, the publisher of Wired<\/em>, over the outlet\u2019s coverage of a leaked MSG database<\/a> containing the names of various celebrities who identify as LGBTQIA.<\/p>\nWhile Wired<\/em> was not the first outlet to break news of the database (that would be 404 Media<\/em><\/a>)\u2014and the database contains more than just LGBTQIA celebrities\u2014MSG takes issue specifically with Wired\u2019s<\/em> coverage. According to MSG, Wired\u2019s \u201csensational headline\u201d was designed to create a \u201cfalse implication\u201d about \u201cLGBTQIA surveillance, risk, and discrimination.\u201d<\/p>\nIn addition to Wired\u2019s<\/em> publisher, co-defendants include the reporter and contributing editor who wrote the MSG story, as well as the company\u2019s global editorial director. MSG is seeking a jury trial<\/a> and compensatory, presumed, and punitive damages, as well as a retraction and correction.<\/p>\n\u201cThis case is about defendants\u2019 decision to transform inclusion into exclusion. Defendants\u2019 article and its promotion falsely implied that MSG maintains sexual orientation information to identify, track, rank, exclude, or discriminate against LGBTQIA celebrities, artists, guests, fans, and patrons, because of their sexual orientation or gender identity when the opposite is true,\u201d reads the filing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWired<\/em> combed the dark web, obtained data stolen from MSG by an extortionist hacking group, and cherry-picked fragments of that data to manufacture a false narrative portraying MSG as targeting the LGBTQIA community for discriminatory purposes,\u201d the filing continues. \u201cNothing could be further from the truth\u2014MSG is a fervent supporter of the LGBTQIA community.\u201d<\/p>\nThe article described a database of nearly 40,000 records that included \u201crisk\u201d scores for hundreds of people<\/a> and sexual orientation fields for some entries. The database was stolen from MSG\u2019s Salesforce, a standard customer relationship management platform, by hacker group ShinyHunters, who had attempted to extort the company before publishing the material online.<\/h4>\nMSG claims that Wired<\/em> isolated only the LGBTQIA entries\u2014approximately 93 out of around 40,000 records\u2014to create the appearance of a discriminatory list. MSG asserts that the orientation field was created in August 2022 for inclusion purposes, including Pride event invitations and charitable outreach, and that access was restricted to just a handful of employees.<\/p>\nNotably, MSG points out that only 4% of the LGBTQIA-tagged records contained an entry with a \u201crisk level,\u201d compared to 9% of records tagged \u201cHeterosexual.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe stand by this reporting, and we plan to vigorously defend it against this baseless and ridiculous lawsuit,\u201d reads a statement from Wired<\/em>. \u201cWe look forward to continuing our coverage of MSG, and on billionaire James Dolan\u2019s use of technology across his entertainment empire. It\u2019s one part of our wider mission and the critical job of journalists, now more than ever: holding power to account.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\n
While Wired<\/em> was not the first outlet to break news of the database (that would be 404 Media<\/em><\/a>)\u2014and the database contains more than just LGBTQIA celebrities\u2014MSG takes issue specifically with Wired\u2019s<\/em> coverage. According to MSG, Wired\u2019s \u201csensational headline\u201d was designed to create a \u201cfalse implication\u201d about \u201cLGBTQIA surveillance, risk, and discrimination.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to Wired\u2019s<\/em> publisher, co-defendants include the reporter and contributing editor who wrote the MSG story, as well as the company\u2019s global editorial director. MSG is seeking a jury trial<\/a> and compensatory, presumed, and punitive damages, as well as a retraction and correction.<\/p>\n \u201cThis case is about defendants\u2019 decision to transform inclusion into exclusion. Defendants\u2019 article and its promotion falsely implied that MSG maintains sexual orientation information to identify, track, rank, exclude, or discriminate against LGBTQIA celebrities, artists, guests, fans, and patrons, because of their sexual orientation or gender identity when the opposite is true,\u201d reads the filing.<\/p>\n \u201cWired<\/em> combed the dark web, obtained data stolen from MSG by an extortionist hacking group, and cherry-picked fragments of that data to manufacture a false narrative portraying MSG as targeting the LGBTQIA community for discriminatory purposes,\u201d the filing continues. \u201cNothing could be further from the truth\u2014MSG is a fervent supporter of the LGBTQIA community.\u201d<\/p>\n MSG claims that Wired<\/em> isolated only the LGBTQIA entries\u2014approximately 93 out of around 40,000 records\u2014to create the appearance of a discriminatory list. MSG asserts that the orientation field was created in August 2022 for inclusion purposes, including Pride event invitations and charitable outreach, and that access was restricted to just a handful of employees.<\/p>\n Notably, MSG points out that only 4% of the LGBTQIA-tagged records contained an entry with a \u201crisk level,\u201d compared to 9% of records tagged \u201cHeterosexual.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe stand by this reporting, and we plan to vigorously defend it against this baseless and ridiculous lawsuit,\u201d reads a statement from Wired<\/em>. \u201cWe look forward to continuing our coverage of MSG, and on billionaire James Dolan\u2019s use of technology across his entertainment empire. It\u2019s one part of our wider mission and the critical job of journalists, now more than ever: holding power to account.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\nThe article described a database of nearly 40,000 records that included \u201crisk\u201d scores for hundreds of people<\/a> and sexual orientation fields for some entries. The database was stolen from MSG\u2019s Salesforce, a standard customer relationship management platform, by hacker group ShinyHunters, who had attempted to extort the company before publishing the material online.<\/h4>\n