Dancing Larry Lawsuit: Harassment Claims and MSG Termination

The Dancing Larry lawsuit is a workplace discrimination and retaliation case filed on April 6, 2026, in New York County Supreme Court by Miranda Tyson, a former member of the New York Rangers’ in-arena “Blue Crew.” Tyson alleges that MSG Sports and the Rangers allowed longtime superfan Larry Goodman, known as “Dancing Larry,” to subject staff to years of unwanted physical contact, then removed Tyson from the job after they complained. The suit names MSG Sports, LLC, the New York Rangers, LLC, and a supervisor, Mike Sarnoski, as defendants. Goodman himself is not a defendant.¹ Tyson is represented by Bhavleen Sabharwal of Manhattan and seeks compensatory damages for lost wages, benefits, and future earning capacity, along with punitive damages.²

Who Larry Goodman Is

Goodman is a New Jersey resident and Rangers season ticket holder who has performed at Madison Square Garden since 1996. During the final TV timeout of the third period at each home game, he dances to “Strike It Up” by Black Box while the arena jumbotron broadcasts the routine to the crowd.³ He is not an MSG employee, but the segment brought him into regular close contact with the Blue Crew, the audience hype squad. According to the complaint, Blue Crew members stood with Goodman on the stairs before and after the segment, which is where much of the alleged contact took place.⁴

What the Complaint Alleges

Tyson worked on the Blue Crew from 2021 to 2025. The complaint alleges that Goodman subjected non-male members of the squad to a “pattern of persistent and unwelcome physical contact” at “nearly every” home game.⁵ The suit describes Goodman “firmly touching and grabbing” staff heads, necks, shoulders, backs, arms, and hands, and attempting to interlace his fingers with theirs during high-fives.² One incident cited in the complaint involves Goodman placing his “full palm on the small of [Tyson’s] back” as they exited the performance area in February 2025.

The complaint also alleges that other Blue Crew members reported “even more egregious conduct,” including Goodman “spitting into people’s mouths.” Tyson says they did not personally witness that behavior but were told about it by colleagues.⁶ In an email to supervisors reproduced in the complaint, Tyson wrote: “Every time we return from ‘Dancing Larry,’ more than one person assigned to it laments an unwanted interaction.”³ The suit characterizes the behavior as an “open secret” among staff, who it says were reluctant to speak up because of Goodman’s popularity with fans and team leadership.⁴

The Internal Complaint and MSG’s Response

Tyson filed a formal written complaint with supervisors in March 2024, calling Goodman’s conduct “textbook sexual harassment” and asking MSG to intervene.³ MSG temporarily pulled the Dancing Larry segment and opened a human resources investigation.⁵ Afterward, management told Tyson they had spoken with Goodman and instructed him to limit interaction with the Blue Crew to fist bumps and standard high-fives, and that the behavior “should not happen again.”⁷ The segment came back later in the 2023-24 season, and the complaint says the unwanted contact continued.⁴

Removal and Termination

After Tyson reported the February 2025 palm-on-the-back incident, management again said it would speak with Goodman, but kept the segment running. According to the complaint, MSG then removed Tyson from all future Dancing Larry assignments for the rest of the 2024-25 season, which Tyson characterizes as retaliation.⁵

In August 2025, Tyson was told they would not be brought back for the 2025-26 season. The complaint says MSG’s HR department described the decision as a “business decision.”⁸ The suit calls that explanation “pretextual” and “directly related” to Tyson’s harassment complaints, noting it came five months after the most recent report.³ It brings retaliation claims under both the New York State Human Rights Law and the New York City Human Rights Law.⁹

MSG’s Public Response

On April 8, 2026, the same day the story broke publicly, MSG honored Goodman on the jumbotron during a Rangers-Sabres game, marking 30 years as a superfan at the Garden.⁸ A source familiar with the organization’s thinking told the New York Post that MSG considered the allegations “unfounded” and continued to support Goodman. Journalist Jonathan Ouimet of NY Hockey Insider called the tribute “another avoidable own goal,” writing that the organization “handed fresh attention to a controversy that should have stayed outside the arena.”¹⁰

An MSG spokesperson’s on-the-record statement has been limited to one line: “We don’t comment on employee or legal matters.”⁵ Goodman did not respond to a message from The Athletic seeking comment. The morning after the lawsuit was reported, he posted to his Instagram story: “RANGERS-Sabres tonight at the GARDEN!!! Lets do this!”¹¹

Where the Case Stands

As of mid-2026, the case is in its earliest stages. The docket lists the index number as unassigned, meaning a judge has not yet been assigned.¹ No court date has been set, and the allegations have not been tested in court. Goodman continued to perform the Dancing Larry segment throughout the 2025-26 Rangers season.⁷

1
Trellis. Miranda Tyson v. MSG Sports, LLC et al – Summons Complaint
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The Independent. New York Rangers Dancing Larry Lawsuit
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The Athletic. NY Rangers, Madison Square Garden Dancing Larry Lawsuit
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Yahoo Sports. NY Rangers Fan Favorite Dancing Larry Lawsuit
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Newsday. Dancing Larry Lawsuit
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The Mirror. Rangers Superfan Dancing Larry Allegations
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The Athletic. NY Rangers, Madison Square Garden Dancing Larry Lawsuit
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New York Post. Rangers Super Fan Dancing Larry Facing Disturbing Accusations in Lawsuit
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Hoodline. Rangers Faithful Rocked as Dancing Larry Lawsuit Hits the Garden
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The Independent. Dancing Larry New York Rangers Honor Lawsuit
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Newser. Super Fan Dancing Larry Now Subject of a Lawsuit