Split decision: Islanders to play first round of playoffs on Long Island, later rounds at Barclays

OK, this is a bit odd.

An announcement from the team:New York Islanders Announcement Regarding The 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

Following consultation with Governor Andrew Cuomo's office, the New York Islanders and BSE Global have announced that should the Islanders qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, any first round home playoff games will take place at NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Should the team qualify for further rounds of the playoffs, any home Islanders games will take place at Barclays Center, reflecting that the Nassau Coliseum does not qualify as an NHL major league facility.
This agreement has been approved by the NHL, with the understanding that the scheduling of games will be in accordance with usual League practices.

So why might that be? Yes, Barclays has more capacity and more luxury suites, but the Coliseum has, in general, drawn more fans, as it's closer to the fan base. But a playoff game should sell out. And maybe there's another reason: television.

Never mind the lack of suites. The first round is covered on TV locally -- the two teams involved. After that it goes international -- NBC, Sportsnet, CBC, etc. That means additional wiring, in-arena studio sets, more press-box booths, etc. The Coliseum isn't equipped for that.

— Bob Dittmeier (@bob_dittmeier) February 16, 2019

On Lighthouse Hockey yesterday, Steven E. Smith wrote:

While it’s impossible to disagree with the fact that the Coliseum is no longer an “NHL major league facility” by capacity, it is still the better building of the two to watch a hockey game, and I think the players would say it’s their preferred place to play.
Home ice advantage is real, and though Barclays Center is a more modern arena, it is further removed from the core of the Islanders fan base. And like so many arenas built since the mid-1990s, it is steep and cavernous and ultimately quiet. Playoff hockey is a different animal, of course, and it will draw enough fans from Long Island to fill it up, but it doesn’t get nearly as loud as the low-ceiling Coliseum, especially given how loud the Coliseum gets come playoff time.

In Eyes on Isles, Matt O'Leary pointed out:

One of the issues is Nassau Coliseum has an event taking place during the second round of the playoffs. From April 25 to April 28, the Coliseum is hosting Longines Masters of New York.

Newsday's Andrew Gross quoted the players as preferring the Coliseum:

“You saw it the first game there,” defenseman Scott Mayfield said. “[Coach Barry] Trotz said it right away, that it’s worth at least 10 to 12 points [in the standings] just because of the atmosphere.”
“Logistically, the Coliseum works out a little bit easier for us,” right wing Jordan Eberle said. “The consensus here is guys like playing at the Coliseum. Wherever it may be, we’ve just got to be ready.”
But left wing Matt Martin added that Barclays’ significance to the organization can’t be overlooked.
“In some ways, Barclays Center has gotten a little bit of a bad rap,” he said. “It’s not the most convenient place in the world for hockey, but we didn’t have a home and we might not be in New York right now if it weren’t for that deal. As a fan base and as an organization, I think we need to be somewhat grateful for that building.

Update: from the New York Post's Brett Cyrgalis, writing 3/11/19:

Things finally came to a head and the team managed to get approval to play half its home games this season back at the refurbished Coliseum, which is pretty much a $170 million new coat of paint on the same antiquated and crumbling building. 

Yet it is still a better home ice for the Islanders than Brooklyn.