Nassau Coliseum in flux: no Nets preseason game; suggestion for Isles returning full-time for two years
As with the Barclays Center, the Nassau Coliseum is a "never-say-never" project. Remember how the arena operators were supposed to bring a minor league hockey team to Long Island? That didn't happen.
Or how the Islanders were supposed to play a certain number of games in Nassau or face a fine? That got papered over by the plan for a part-time home rink while the Belmont arena progresses.
Newsday's Jim Baumbach reported 7/7/18, in Brooklyn Nets won’t play preseason game at Nassau Coliseum, that a contractually obligated preseason game won't happen because the NBA has reduce the required number of preseason game, leaving one home game in Brooklyn
A spokesman for Nassau County Executive Laura Curran told Newsday, “We’re in conversation with BSE Global about alternative programming.” Nor has BSE Global, the operator of the Barclays Center and the Coliseum, conducted the required annual open Nets practice and a clinic, Baumbach reported; the company is working on future programming.
Islanders to Nassau?
Meanwhile, hockey writer Chris Botta, writing on IslandersPointBlank, suggested that Islanders should leave Barclays Center for good after 2018-19 season, rather than split the next three seasons between Brooklyn and the undersized Coliseum, which is closer to the fan base and the future Belmont arena.
His argument is that certainty helps the team stabilize and recruit players:
So, will Barclays be a lame-duck arena? Stay tuned and see how this next season goes. Note that, after this next season, as CBS New York reported in January, the "Islanders will take back business operations" from BSE Global, which purportedly guaranteed $53.5 million annually--though it turned out to be less--in exchange for ticket, suite, and other revenue.
Or how the Islanders were supposed to play a certain number of games in Nassau or face a fine? That got papered over by the plan for a part-time home rink while the Belmont arena progresses.
Newsday's Jim Baumbach reported 7/7/18, in Brooklyn Nets won’t play preseason game at Nassau Coliseum, that a contractually obligated preseason game won't happen because the NBA has reduce the required number of preseason game, leaving one home game in Brooklyn
A spokesman for Nassau County Executive Laura Curran told Newsday, “We’re in conversation with BSE Global about alternative programming.” Nor has BSE Global, the operator of the Barclays Center and the Coliseum, conducted the required annual open Nets practice and a clinic, Baumbach reported; the company is working on future programming.
Islanders to Nassau?
Meanwhile, hockey writer Chris Botta, writing on IslandersPointBlank, suggested that Islanders should leave Barclays Center for good after 2018-19 season, rather than split the next three seasons between Brooklyn and the undersized Coliseum, which is closer to the fan base and the future Belmont arena.
His argument is that certainty helps the team stabilize and recruit players:
Beginning with the 2019-20 season, all of their home games must be played at the barn in Nassau County. And the plan to move all of the games to Nassau should be announced weeks before the trade deadline in February 2019.And he makes a key point:
It says everything about how the organization feels about the true heart of its fan base that the Islanders are promoting the heck out of its Coliseum ticket packages for the upcoming season, while the Barclays games are more of an after-thought.Indeed, if you go to the team's tickets page, you're offered not just full season, half season, and individual game tickets, but also the "Rock the Island Plan," which involves "Enjoy all games at NYCB LIVE and seven games at Barclays Center, including the home opener and the game against the Rangers."
So, will Barclays be a lame-duck arena? Stay tuned and see how this next season goes. Note that, after this next season, as CBS New York reported in January, the "Islanders will take back business operations" from BSE Global, which purportedly guaranteed $53.5 million annually--though it turned out to be less--in exchange for ticket, suite, and other revenue.
One question is whether the Barclays suite revenue--something not available in Nassau--is significant enough to counterbalance lowered general admission. But perhaps demand for suites has diminished.
Comments
Post a Comment