If you’re new to NBA basketball, chances are that you may have not heard about Barclays Center, one of the most modern and perhaps the most beautiful arena in the league right now.
Located between Atlantic and Flatbush avenues, more specifically at 620 Atlantic Avenue, this beautiful arena is home to the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Islanders of the NHL. Group outings, basketball games, or concerts. People from all over the world travel to Brooklyn to visit Barclays Center.
This arena is strictly tied to the Nets’ organization, as it was originally designed in 2004 when Bruce Ratner bought the franchise. But even though it was welcomed with open arms by some people, others claimed that it would destroy Brooklyn, as it could have a huge environmental impact.
Also, the use of eminent domain in which the city took over private property, and all the public subsidies weren’t seen with good eyes by the community and local property owners. The Wall Street Journal, New York Observer, and New York Post had a field day with this story for years. Also, employees from Ludwig’s Pharmacy in Prospect Heights sued the arena for alleged racism, so this place has always been tied to controversy.
Also halted by the global recession, it took quite some time until this project could become a reality. The ground broke six years later in 2010 and it opened its doors in 2012 with a $1 billion investment that was eligible for tax-exempt bonds, at its publically owned. To make it even more impressive, this new arena is just a tiny portion of a $4.9 billion residential and business complex called Pacific Park.
It was designed by SHoP Architects and was expected to change the life of the residents of the Atlantic Yards complex with a rooftop park that would feature an open-air running track that could turn into an ice-skating rink during the winter.
It was also supposed to feature ‘Miss Brooklyn’, a tower standing at 620 feet that was eventually scrapped from the plans due to financial cuts. Also, it has two different lighting systems between the arena bowl, one for the Nets and one for other teams or artists using the facilities.
Owned by Empire State Development Corporation via Brooklyn Arena Local Development Corporation, Barclays got the naming rights in 2007 for $400 million over the next 20 years, with a deal that would run through 2032. Nonetheless, they renegotiated terms in 2009 to cut that budget in half, so now they make yearly payments of $10 million.
Is the Barclays Center bigger than MSG?
Madison Square Garden is perhaps the most iconic sports arena in the world. It holds concerts, events, and is home to the New York Rangers of the NHL and New York Knicks of the NBA. The main arena entrance is breathtaking and one of the most famous buildings in the Big Apple.
Moreover, Madison Square Garden is much larger than the Barclays Center. The MSG is 820,000 square feet, while Barclays Center is “just” 670,000 square feet. Also, MSG can host up to 20,000 fans, whereas the Barclays Center can only hold 18,000 people inside of the arena. This sports venue will never compete with a building like the MSG but it doesn’t have to, either.
How many fans are allowed in the Barclays Center?
As we previously stated, Barclays Center can host up to 18,000 fans in concerts. Barclays Center capacity is 17,732 fans for basketball games, 15,795 for hockey games, and 16,000 for MMA and boxing matches.
Fans wanting to visit this arena can use public transportation, using The Long Island Railroad or subway lines B, D, M, N, Q, R, 2, 3, and 5 to reach Flatbush and Atlantic avenues. Its main entrance is located at the corner of Flatbush Avenue and Atlantic Avenue.
When did the Nets move to Barclays Center?
The New Jersey Nets basketball team has been around for quite some time now. Their history started in 1967 as the New Jersey Americans but they changed names after just one year. They became the New York Nets during their days in the ABA and first years in the NBA before eventually becoming the New Jersey Nets in 1977.
Long before moving to that beautiful site called Barclays Center, the Nets used to play games at Teaneck Armory, Long Island Arena, Island Garden, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Rutgers Athletic Center, Brendan Byrne Arena (later renamed Continental Airlines Arena and Izod Center), and Prudential Center.
Then, in 2012, the Nets changed their name again to Brooklyn Nets and the team moved to the Big Apple, thanks to a big investment from Bruce Ratner and Forest City Ratner Companies. The Nets played their first game at Barclays Center on November 3, 2012, beating the Toronto Raptors 107-100 to kick off their new era.
More recently in 2019, the Nets underwent a new change of ownership, with business mogul Joseph Tsai acquiring the team and appointing former Turner Sports president David Levy as CEO of the team and the Barclays Center, and he’s done a solid job of taking ticket sales way up in his brief time in charge.
Brooklyn Nets: Will They Ever Rule New York City?
It’s not a secret that the New York Knicks rule the city. Even if they haven’t made it to the NBA Finals in decades, and even though they only have a couple of NBA Championships, the Knicks are still one of the wealthiest and most popular professional sports teams in the world. The Nets have a long history of struggles in the NBA.
They were one of the best teams in the ABA but haven’t been able to win a ring since they entered the Association. They were pretty close nearly two decades ago, though, with Jason Kidd leading the way when they were still in New Jersey.
Brooklyn is one of the meccas of basketball. Culturally speaking, it’s way more than just a game for that people. Kids on the street play 24/7, small businesses feature basketball-themed decoration, and you can just feel their passion in the air. Then again, we’re talking about a city that lives and breathes Knick basketballs.
Even so, their fanbase continues to grow and they’ve done an outstanding job of putting together quite a competitive squad, pairing Kevin Durant with James Harden and Kyrie Irving.
The way the Nets have handled their basketball operations as of late should serve as an example for the rest of the sports industry. They went from being a rebuilding team with all their future draft picks heading to other teams to one of the clear-cut favorites to win it all. Everybody in sports has had something to say about the Nets’ incredible Big 3 but their strength goes way beyond their three stars.
At one point, people urged the NBA to step up and prevent Brooklyn from adding even more talent to their ranks after signing Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Paul Millsap. They’ve definitely come a long way since their days at the Nassau Coliseum.
But hey, it’s all a part of the game. Some think these superteams aren’t good for sports but as long as they win and bring fans to the arena, it’s all good. Also, having the best player in the league doesn’t always translate to winning the Finals.
Some fans claim that they will never respect Kevin Durant as much as they respect loyal legends like Kobe Bryant or Dirk Nowitzki because he teamed up with multiple All-Stars to get an easier path to an NBA championship. But in reality, there’s no such thing as an easy path to the ring, especially in this era.
Injuries, poor chemistry, and countless intangibles like Kyrie’s decision not to be vaccinated can take a toll on any team’s chances of winning a ring in the blink of an eye, which is why there simply are no guarantees when it comes to the Association.
The Nets haven’t done anything illegal. They abide by the league’s salary cap and pay the luxury tax when they go over that threshold. The players agree to take a pay cut to play side by side with other stars, so it’s not like the league can effectively intervene. If anything, that only fuels their competition even more and motivates them to prove that you don’t have to have a video-game-like roster to be the best team in the world.
The Nets are a historical franchise and deserve to be back on the top of the Eastern Conference, and the league’s competitive balance hasn’t been affected at all since they put together their Big 3. Also, it would be very nice to finally watch James Harden get his first NBA championship after so many years of dominating and putting up huge numbers but failing to reach basketball’s most important stage.
At the end of the day, the game of basketball is more about bringing people together than taking them apart, and that’s the beauty of the National Basketball Association. NYC is very big and has plenty of space for both Knicks and Brooklyn fans, and each one has its very own arena so it’s not like you have to choose between one or the other.
Just like it happens with the Rangers and Islanders, or Jets and Giants, people from East Rutherford all the way to NYC will flood the arena during their team’s home games, even when they play at the same time.
So, if you’re a fan of this beautiful game of ours and want to visit an easily accessible arena for a regular-season game, don’t hesitate to pull up to downtown Brooklyn and visit Barclays Center. Brooklyn Nets games are definitely worth the price of admission. And if that doesn’t convince you, then the hot dogs most definitely will.
