The New York Knicks won their first NBA title since 1973 last season, turning Manhattan into a weekslong party and giving Madison Square Garden another reason to lean into its status as the “Mecca of Basketball.” But as the Garden, which is run by Knicks owner James Dolan through Madison Square Garden Sports and related MSG companies, prepared to celebrate the title, some employees received a phishing email test that has drawn criticism from sports commentators and raised broader questions about how companies should test employees’ cybersecurity awareness.

According to The Athletic, the email, which the publication obtained, congratulated recipients on their supposed employee championship rings and offered them a choice between two designs: “Championship Gold” and “Garden Classic.” It also described the rings as complimentary, personalized, and made by the same jeweler as the players’ rings.

Unfortunately, the offer was nothing more than a phishing simulation that Madison Square Garden reportedly conducted amid James Dolan’s concerns about cybersecurity. Employees who clicked the link were required to complete cybersecurity training, and many longtime MSG employees, including some involved in the Knicks’ business operations, were reportedly not going to receive championship rings at all.

The controversy extended to the team’s opening-night ceremony on Tuesday night, when assistant coaches were presented with ring boxes that appeared to be empty. According to The Athletic’s reporting, the coaches had been told earlier that day that their rings would arrive at a later date.

James Dolan and the MSG organization faced renewed criticism online after The Athletic published its report.

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