[News] Islanders announce move to Brooklyn in 2015

[sureLoss]

Wang says the 25 year lease agreement is iron clad with no outs

[valo403]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

There is likely an out clause on the 25 years if Wang can build a hockey specific stadium in the New York area.

The 25 year lease agreement was likely to show Nassau County he was not screwing around and was 100% serious that he would move the team to Brooklyn even if the stadium was not perfect for hockey.

What I see happening is Wang building his own rink close to the Barclays center 5 to 10 years down the line and helping to reinvigorate that area of Brooklyn as was the plan of this initial development.

Not a chance. Getting one building built in Brooklyn was an absolute nightmare, and there are already lots of complaints about traffic etc. Another building in that area is an absolute non-starter. Not to mention that it would make no sense at all.

[vanisleflamesfan]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

There is likely an out clause on the 25 years if Wang can build a hockey specific stadium in the New York area.

That is a huge assumption. I haven't heard anything about that.

[Joborule]

25 years in an un-ideal venue?

This doesn't really make sense.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by valo403

Why don't you just admit you have absolutely no clue what you're talking about. Uniondale, NY is not the same city as Brooklyn, NY.

They're both part of the same New York metropolitan area market which is the pertinant information of whether the NHL is displaying a greater willingness to move franchises to more profitable area's.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by valo403

So this is 100% based on the completely unknown idea that this will be a bad place to watch hockey. I think that's getting more than a little carried away. MSG is a pretty bad place to watch hockey, it seems to have done alright.

Actually, it is pretty well established that arenas designed around a basketball court are often problematic for hockey.

Lets not make this more than it is: Barclays is better than Nassau, but it isn't the ideal solution. It was simply the best available.

It is, however, an improvement on many fronts.

[WilderPegasus]

Originally Posted by vanisleflamesfan

I don't think that it is unreasonable to suggest that a horseshoe shaped arena might not be the best place to watch hockey. This is supposed to be a professional league, and they are accepting a move into a building where they are clearly second fiddle.

Professional leagues have played in worse venues many times in the past.

As for renovations, they just finished this place, it is an absolute palace for basketball, it is exactly what they wanted, it cost billions, there is no way they are going to renovate it for hockey, which will be, at best, a second class tenant. For 25 years.

It cost ONE billion. No s. They will renovate it if it makes financial sense to renovate. Since the Islanders are there for the long term they won't be a second class tenant. They are going to be a co-tenant.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Parallex

They're both part of the same New York metropolitan area market which is the pertinant information of whether the NHL is displaying a greater willingness to move franchises to more profitable area's.

Yes and no. Would you consider Scottsdale to have greater revenue generating potential than Glendale? A move within a MSA can still qualify as a location that is more profitable.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by WilderPegasus

Since the Islanders are there for the long term they won't be a second class tenant. They are going to be a co-tenant.

I wonder if Wang had abandoned his lighthouse project earlier and signed on during the design period if they would have been more willing to adapt a design that accomadated hockey.

[Puppet Guy]

Originally Posted by Joborule

25 years in an un-ideal venue?

This doesn't really make sense.

well, remember that Charles Wang is behind this.

[Dentoman]

Valo .... how long a train ride from Penn station would this be. I choose Penn because it is a landmark I know, it is right at MSG, and is in an area of Manhattan I would choose to stay again (easy and relatively cheap to get to from Newark airport). Would be a great trip to see the Flames play at MSG and Barclay's.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Parallex

I wonder if Wang had abandoned his lighthouse project earlier and signed on during the design period if they would have been more willing to adapt a design that accomadated hockey.

The initial design accommodated hockey.

[You Need a Thneed]

Modifying the seating to make the hockey rink fit a little bit more central wouldn't necessarily cost a lot of money. Perhaps they figure something like that out.

Originally Posted by Parallex

I wonder if Wang had abandoned his lighthouse project earlier and signed on during the design period if they would have been more willing to adapt a design that accomadated hockey.

They originally were going to make it more ready for hockey, but it got changed as a cost cutting measure.

[Barnes]

The original building did have plans for a rink setup, then was completely cut then was kind of added back in (ice plant) IIRC. Will the scoreboard block the end of the ice like Key arena?

I ask because if the NHL will accept this as an acceptable permanent solution there's no reason why the wouldn't accept Key Arena as a temporary building for a Seattle team as it looks like they have similar hockey setups.

[Brannigans Law]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Wang says the 25 year lease agreement is iron clad with no outs

I have to question the logic of this decision then. It's a very small arena in an unproven hockey market. I hope that it works and I'm excited for the city of Brooklyn but if Phoenix has shown us anything is a bad hockey arena can really impact a teams popularity and ticket sales.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Parallex

They're both part of the same New York metropolitan area market which is the pertinant information of whether the NHL is displaying a greater willingness to move franchises to more profitable area's.

Except they're not. Uniondale catered to fans located on Long Island almost exclusively, accessing it from anywhere else was virtually impossible for a weeknight game and a massive hassle on the weekend. The Brooklyn location completely changes the market, people on Long Island will still be able to access it due to the proximity to LIRR connections, but the real change is that the NYC market is now a realistic portion of the base. I've been to a single game in Uniondale over the past 4+ years. I've been to 30-40 at MSG and the Pru Center. The only reason for that is accessibility, I can be in my seat at MSG within 10 minutes of leaving my front door. With this move I'll likely get to a minimum of 5 Isles games on top of a handful of Rangers and Devils games, and depending on pricing (and assuming I'm still around the area in 2015) could very well be a season ticket holder.

This is a move to NYC, somehow this seems to be escaping you.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Barnes

The original building did have plans for a rink setup, then was completely cut then was kind of added back in (ice plant) IIRC. Will the scoreboard block the end of the ice like Key arena?

I ask because if the NHL will accept this as an acceptable permanent solution there's no reason why the wouldn't accept Key Arena as a temporary building for a Seattle team as it looks like they have similar hockey setups.

Has Key Arena ever been proposed as a temporary arena? I've seen it talked about here but that was before the announcement of a new facility.

[Canada 02]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Wang says the 25 year lease agreement is iron clad with no outs

I think that coincides with the end of Rick Dipietro's contract

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Brannigans Law

I have to question the logic of this decision then. It's a very small arena in an unproven hockey market. I hope that it works and I'm excited for the city of Brooklyn but if Phoenix has shown us anything is a bad hockey arena can really impact a teams popularity and ticket sales.

Phoenix has a great arena, what they lack is location. This arena is less than ideal, but the location shouldn't be an issue. Brooklyn has a long hockey history and a ton of residents who grew up on Long Island. In fact, a number of the real 'hockey bars' in NYC are in Brooklyn.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by valo403

Has Key Arena ever been proposed as a temporary arena? I've seen it talked about here but that was before the announcement of a new facility.

I mean in the event a team needs to move quickly and an owner in Seattle can be found.