Barclays Center CEO admits "it was all about volume" to fill arena before Islanders move; claims "business as usual" re sale of Nets

From remarks from Nets/Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark, according to the Record:

Yormark said that his goal with the Islanders sharing his building “is to create some synergies between the two teams. When you look at buildings that host both NHL and NBA, you don’t see a lot of synergy there. We’d like to try to do that. One way is introducing black-and-white Islanders third jersey, for some unique connectivity between the two brands. We have a chance to really grow both businesses.
“Before the Islanders came in, it was all about volume” in filling dates, Yormark said, but with 44 or more dates taken by hockey “you become a little bit more selective in all your business, whether it’s boxing or college basketball or family shows or concerts. We’re going through that phase right now.”

In other words, he was basically admitting they'd do anything to fill the building.

Selling the team?

How about this:

An audience member asked Yormark about whether rumors of a sale of the team by Russian oligarch Mikhail Prokhorov. He replied, “It’s business as usual. There’s not a day goes by that you pick up a newspaper that someone [supposedly] is not for sale – and usually, they’re [really] not for sale. But there’s always speculation. So, obviously I rely on my core management team to reinforce that it’s business as usual. Not that I want to get into that conversation right now, but you see how it’s played out – nothing has happened, and they’ve been talking about it [in the media] for a year. So I’d probably say I don’t think anything’s gonna happen. We have an ownership group that is very committed. We’re fortunate enough to work for some great people, and I think that will continue to be the case not only short term, but longterm.”

Given how Yormark continually blew smoke about the timing of the team's move to Brooklyn, it's tough to take this seriously. "I’d probably say I don’t think anything’s gonna happen" is not the most definitive statement.