As new-look Nets stomp Warriors and honor essential workers (authorized guests?), Barclays Center appropriates sidewalk on Dean St., parking on Atlantic Ave.

"It’s still a Knicks Town, no matter how many times they lose or get passed over by TNT or ESPN," wrote the Daily News' Stefan Bondy yesterday, citing the legacy of "frustrating fandom." 

But that can and might change, as the Brooklyn Nets, a clearly superior team, contend for NBA supremacy and dominate the tabloid back pages, such as the New York Post today, as they stomped (NetsDaily round-up) the Golden State Warriors, a team with to missing stars.

Honoring essential workers, in person

Last night's game was dedicated to essential workers, with "dozens" as special guests, given a “hero bag,” featuring a t-shirt, plaque and foam finger to cheer on the Nets, then a pregame meal on the suite level, with guests spread out, and the ability to watch "in specially constructed pods overlooking the court."

That's savvy public relations, though how exactly did they get to evade the state ban on "no live audiences" at sporting events?

I have to bet that the disparate companies--hedge funds, WeWork, gallerist Larry Gagosian--in the graphic (left) accompanying the press release donated some portion of their suites, which they of course couldn't use.

Walking around the arena

Free parking!

Given the (almost completely) fan-less event, the perimeter of the arena was quiet last night when I walked around at about 7 pm. 

What I did notice was that, in contrast with the virtuous posture of honoring essential workers, the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center, had extended--beyond previous notice--their encroachment on public space. 

Notably, they blocked pedestrians on the Dean Street public sidewalk and appropriated the "no standing" drop-off late on Atlantic Avenue, plus a travel lane, for free parking.

Along Dean Street

This is the first time I'd seen arena operators use a screen to block most pedestrian passage on the Dean Street sidewalk. That either provides protection for vehicles parking in the "pad" outside the loading dock or suggests an extension of the arena's privately controlled space.

Looking west on Dean Street.

Note the limited pedestrian passage, which would further impede those with strollers.

Looking west on Dean Street

Looking east on Dean Street

Outside the attendee entrance, which was blocked off with metal fencing, a bus--surely associated with game activities but not parked in the arena's bowels--was parkied in the "no standing" drop-off lane.

At the plaza

The bright images at the oculus have been supplemented by the new LED media facade, the brightness of which, at certain times, has been seen as disruptive by neighbors, and has been said to be tuned down (though maybe that happened after the game?).

Along Atlantic Avenue

In the no-standing zone along Atlantic Avenue, vehicles were parked face out, occupying not just the drop-off lane but a lane of traffic, albeit one that constrained by construction at the corner of Sixth Avenue.

Looking east along Atlantic Avenue from the median

Looking east along Atlantic Avenue from the sidewalk