Madison Square Garden Hacked: Leaked Database Reveals Secret Tracking of Nearly 40,000 Celebrities, Including LGBTQIA+ Watchlist

According to Pitchfork, Madison Square Garden Entertainment (run by CEO James Dolan) was hacked, leading to the exposure of an internal database. The leaked data shows MSG has been systematically tracking nearly 40,000 celebrities, with 93 individually flagged as LGBTQIA+ — a list that includes singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers. Rappers Freddie Gibbs and Lil Jon, among others, were separately marked as "high risk."

Scope of the database and how flags were applied

The surveillance system exposed in the leak wasn't limited to Madison Square Garden itself — it extended to other MSG Entertainment properties, including the Sphere in Las Vegas and Radio City Music Hall in New York. Beyond Bridgers and Gibbs, the band Geese and singer Ricky Martin also appear on related lists.

The database used "LGBTQIA+" as a standalone tag applied to specific artists, raising questions about whether the venue used sexual orientation or gender identity as a factor in decisions around entry or booking. MSG Entertainment has not publicly explained the criteria behind the flags or how the data was used.

Legal fallout

Following the exposure, MSG Entertainment is now facing multiple class-action lawsuits. Plaintiffs allege the venue's collection and categorization of personal identity data went beyond legal bounds and may constitute discriminatory treatment of LGBTQIA+ individuals. Full details on the litigation's progress and potential consequences have not yet been released.