Late start times for championship matchups in sports have been an issue for years with TV networks wanting games played in prime time \u2014 and even after 8 p.m. ET to accommodate the West Coast market.<\/p>\n
The 2026 NBA Finals will be no exception with games scheduled to tip-off at 8:30 p.m. ET. Those starts make it difficult for younger fans still in school to stay up late to watch their favorite teams and players compete for championships.<\/p>\n
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New York<\/a> mayor Zohran Mamdani is doing what he can to make sure school-aged Knicks<\/a> fans can stay up late to watch their team play for an NBA title. Joined at his desk by several schoolchildren, Mamdani signed an executive order Monday to repeal bedtimes for kids during the NBA Finals.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is important for all New Yorkers of all ages to support the Knicks in their championship run,\u201d the order stated, written in a playful Comic Sans font. \u201cBedtimes should not impede the ability of New York\u2019s Cutest to cheer for the Knicks and watch every second of this historic Championship series.<\/p>\n \u201cAs Mayor, you\u2019re forced to make many difficult decisions,\u201d Mamdani wrote in a social media post including a video of the signing, in addition to photos of the kids in attendance and the executive order.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was not one of them,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Unfortunately for kids who want to stay up to watch the Knicks battle the San Antonio Spurs<\/a> \u2014 and the parents who will still have to wake their children up and get them ready \u2014 they will still have to go to school during the NBA Finals. The mayor\u2019s order did not close schools for the four games from at least June 3-10. (And the three games from June 13-19, if necessary.)<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n