New York (AFP) – Barclays Center, which opened in Brooklyn in 2012, is planning on not being the home of the NHL’s New York Islanders after the 2018-19 season, according to reports.
Bloomberg and the New York Daily News reported on Monday that the arena, built as the home of the NBA Brooklyn Nets, has concluded it can make more money without the Islanders.
A financial projection seen by potential investors, according to the reports, showed the Islanders contributing no revenue after the 2018-19 campaign, a sign the team will not be playing there.
Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, who owns the Nets and the arena, has been seeking investors for the team and the arena, a major venue for concerts and sports events.
The Islanders, who moved in 2015 after playing on Long Island since 1972, have the third-worst average attendance in the NHL with 12,828 a game.
The lease would allow the Islanders to break the lease and leave after next season or the arena to end the deal after the 2018-19 campaign. Owners reportedly have talked about trying to build an arena near the home stadium of baseball’s New York Mets.
The unusual arena deal with the Islanders has the Barclays Center paying the club $53.5 million a year for control of business operations such as suite and ticket sales.
The Islanders have 21 wins and 51 points in 47 games, ranking 11th in the Eastern Conference.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.