New York Post Reports The Islanders Might Be Looking To Part Ways With Barclays Center
NYPost – The Islanders were losing roughly $20 million annually playing at the antiquated Nassau Coliseum – their home for 43 years – when owner Charles Wang in 2012 cut a 25-year lease with Barclays Center beginning this season. The lease includes a little-known out clause that kids in after the fourth season that both sides could take advantage of, sources said. Although the Isles own one of the NHL’s top home records, fans have been quite sour about the move, complaining about obstructed-view seating, jacked-up ticket prices, and feeling like second-class citizens in a building monopolized by the NBA’s Nets. Jonathan Ledecky – who heads the group of investors set to replace Wang as the team’s majority owner July 1 – apparently is listening. A source close to the Islanders say he’s enamored with possibly moving the team o Queens or back to Long Island.
Well this is awkward.
Here we are in the middle of a playoff push, scrapping for points in the wild wild Metro, and from the clouds comes the New York Post.
Last week they dropped their first heater, their Tavares to Toronto pot stirrer, a mere two years ahead of his UFA status because why not? Just to follow it up with this here report that the Isles might be exploring ways out of Brooklyn.
After all, these are the same people who, last year, reported the Coyotes were moving to Vegas and that the NHL was going to take control of the near bankrupt Devils back in 2012, so its safe to warn you to take this news with a grain of salt. This is The Post after all.
Whether this report is true or not [all signs point to the latter] it’s known that John Ledecky and Scott Malkin, the guys taking over this mess come next year, are already exploring ways to make it work in Brooklyn long term. So all hope is not lost in seeing an improvement next season, and at best we know Plan-A isn’t jumping ship and looking for a possible new [or old, ;)] location for this team.
Advertisement
My biggest gripe is the fact that this whole Coliseum/Barclays/Arena-in-which-the-team-will-play fiasco is coinciding with the club being this good for the first time in, what, twenty years? They’re finally good, they’re finalllyyyy a fun team to watch, and now all eyes are fixated on where the team is playing and not the beautiful, sweet, sweet hockey in front of them.
Opposing fans will make their jokes, and I get it, shooters shoot, take your shot. Hell, send em all my way, I’ll bare that cross for my people. Cause whether it’s in Brooklyn, Queens, or the Rinx in Port Jeff, if JT, Leddy and co. are still doing the damned thing, I’m a happy camper.
connor is Barstool Sports’ Chief JT, Leddy and co. correspondent