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Islanders moving to Brooklyn, Hipsters not impressed

Real_ESPNLeBrun: Wang loves his long-term deals RT @WharnsbyCBC: #Isles have 25-year agreement to play at Barclays Center, beginning in 2015-16.
 
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
True, but I think they'll have to switch names.  Nobody but nobody in Bklyn considers themselves Long Island residents.

I know. Most of my paternal family is from Brooklyn and so I'm well versed not only in their reluctance to associate with Long Island but also with NYC itself. I was just saying that, because there's some historical cache to the Islanders brand and they'd probably still want to appeal to their fan base in Queens and the Island that there'd be an argument for keeping it as is.

Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
How about the Brooklyn Lodgers?

It's funny you mention that because I was wondering if there would be any legal hurdles to actually calling themselves the Dodgers. You'd think so but, on the other hand, an NHL and NFL team decided to call themselves the Panthers within a few years of each other.
 
Elliotte Friedman ‏@FriedgeHNIC
In Islanders' media release, news that name and logo will not be changed.

Well, I might have considered re-brand but whatever. Tradition works for me too.
 
Nik V. Debs said:
It's funny you mention that because I was wondering if there would be any legal hurdles to actually calling themselves the Dodgers. You'd think so but, on the other hand, an NHL and NFL team decided to call themselves the Panthers within a few years of each other.

It might be a little different, since, I imagine the LA Dodgers own the rights to the name "Brooklyn Dodgers," whereas the Carolina Panthers didn't own the rights to the name "Florida Panthers."
 
bustaheims said:
It might be a little different, since, I imagine the LA Dodgers own the rights to the name "Brooklyn Dodgers," whereas the Carolina Panthers didn't own the rights to the name "Florida Panthers."

Yeah, probably. Still, there would be ways to wiggle around that I bet.

Anyways, it doesn't look like it'll be an issue.
 
Nik V. Debs said:
Yeah, probably. Still, there would be ways to wiggle around that I bet.

Anyways, it doesn't look like it'll be an issue.

If the Islanders really wanted it, it would probably just require a payoff from Wang to whoever owns the Dodgers these days. That being said, having the Dodgers as a hockey team would be weird. If they were going to dig into the local sports teams name pile, changing their name to the New York Americans would be much more apropos.
 
bustaheims said:
If the Islanders really wanted it, it would probably just require a payoff from Wang to whoever owns the Dodgers these days. That being said, having the Dodgers as a hockey team would be weird. If they were going to dig into the local sports teams name pile, changing their name to the New York Americans would be much more apropos.

Actually, I was thinking they could be sneaky and go way back in history to name them the Trolley Dodgers. You're right though that a payoff would make more sense.

That said I disagree with your other point. Naming the team after a largely forgotten 80 year old NHL team carries essentially no cache. The Dodgers, on the other hand, are an iconic part of Brooklyn's sporting history. Trust me, the older members of my family are still bitter about the loss of the Dodgers and curse Walter O'Malley's name. Bring back any team named the Brooklyn Dodgers and let them use the old script and that old script-y B? That's a money maker.

 
A 25 year lease and 14,500 capacity? Is Wang still on drugs?

He's expecting a multitude of things:

- a far higher average ticket price to be gained - yeah right....
- his local TV deal to compensate - he ain't getting more than he's making now...
- the new CBA to throw him some revenue sharing - fat chance.

This guy is nuts! The only thing I could see is the lease is $1 a year.
 
lamajama said:
A 25 year lease and 14,500 capacity? Is Wang still on drugs?

He's expecting a multitude of things:

- a far higher average ticket price to be gained - yeah right....

I don't see why that's all that far-fetched. He's moving the team into a more concentrated population with a lot of wealthy people around. They won't be able to go as high as the Jets but they'll definitely be able to up their prices from Nassau.

More than that though is that because of how much nicer Barclay's Centre is, they will be making more in terms of concessions and luxury boxes and things like that.

lamajama said:
- his local TV deal to compensate - he ain't getting more than he's making now...

I don't know what the Islanders TV deal is right now but this is something that has to do with how good the team is. I think a pretty good argument can be made that a good team in Brooklyn will get better ratings than a good team in Nassau.

lamajama said:
- the new CBA to throw him some revenue sharing - fat chance.

It's tough to say without knowing what the final CBA ends up being but I don't see any reason to think why the Islanders wouldn't get revenue sharing money. The proposal the NHL made seems almost specifically tailored to give the Islanders some money.

lamajama said:
This guy is nuts! The only thing I could see is the lease is $1 a year.

I think that's a distinct possibility. They desperately want tenants in the area because they very much want to develop around the area. Having an extra 41, at least, sporting events might very well convince the owners of the building to give the Islanders a sweetheart deal.

I don't know if this is the best option for the Islanders as opposed to a bigger building but there are some convincing positives about this, not the least of which is what everyone was saying about how hard Nassau was to get to and what that meant in terms of things like beer sales.
 
Nik V. Debs said:
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
True, but I think they'll have to switch names.  Nobody but nobody in Bklyn considers themselves Long Island residents.

I know. Most of my paternal family is from Brooklyn and so I'm well versed not only in their reluctance to associate with Long Island but also with NYC itself. I was just saying that, because there's some historical cache to the Islanders brand and they'd probably still want to appeal to their fan base in Queens and the Island that there'd be an argument for keeping it as is.

Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
How about the Brooklyn Lodgers?

It's funny you mention that because I was wondering if there would be any legal hurdles to actually calling themselves the Dodgers. You'd think so but, on the other hand, an NHL and NFL team decided to call themselves the Panthers within a few years of each other.

Points taken.  (I don't really know the borough myself, but my best friend from college lives in Park Slope.) 

I thought about the Dodgers name too and legal restrictions.  This is probably wrong but I have a vague recollection of reading somewhere that rights to the name "Brooklyn Dodgers" are reserved to some group or another (& yeah Busta, it might be the LAD club). 

Then too, not sure "Dodgers" really projects what you want to project if you are a hockey player.  Unless you are Tomas Kaberle!!hahahahaha  :o :P
 
Finally something positive to come out of the Island.  Feel bad for the Long Island fans but Isles owner Charles Wang made good on his promise to stick to a commitment. 

Since Brooklyn is part of Long Island, in theory, the Islanders haven't really moved, just relocated, for want of a better interpretation.  As an Islander fan, I'm happy for them.

Now that they've committed themselves to a new locale, they need to focus the same committment to improving the team on the ice.  Hopefully by then (2015 season), they will have.

Way to go, Islanders!

For those interested in reading the complete story, go to:

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/story/2012/10/25/sp-nhl-lockout-obama-leno-world-series.html
 
Good article here...

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/48736-Improved-management-key-to-Islanders-turnaround.html...

 
Video inside the new Barclay's Center:

http://www.sbnation.com/2012/9/25/3404936/barclays-center-brooklyn-nets-arena-tour-video
 
Transition to Barclays Center:  a huge logistical undertaking...

The Islanders' move to Brooklyn is a complicated logistical undertaking, but it also is a sensitive one as they seek both to honor their history and retain the customers who have been part of it.

...the team...announced a series of initiatives designed to ease the transition and make everyone feel at home. That includes obvious ones such as hanging the four Stanley Cup banners and retired jerseys in the Barclays Center rafters and retaining the team's logo, name and colors.

But it will also feature touches such as keeping public-address announcer Roger Luce, giving the Blue and Orange Army fan group a new home in Section 229 and naming Clark Gillies, Mike Bossy, Bobby Nystrom and Butch Goring franchise ambassadors as part of a Legends Group.

...fans are very adamant and very crystal clear about what they're looking for as they continue to be fans of the Islanders as the team transitions to Brooklyn," said Brett Yormark, CEO of Barclays Center and the Nets, and the man in charge of the Islanders' business operations. "We're taking that very seriously...

...Yormark said 25 percent of sales have come from Nassau and Suffolk, second only to the 33 percent from Brooklyn. (Manhattan was third at 21 percent.)
The vast majority of that 25 percent are current season-ticket holders who have renewed rather than new subscribers.

...acceptance of the Long Island Rail Road as an option for traveling to games...."I'm just thrilled that so many Long Islanders have decided to come to Brooklyn," he said. "

Yormark said the team and LIRR will partner on service enhancements to be announced this summer.


Read more here:
http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/islanders/islanders-make-plans-to-ease-transition-to-brooklyn-from-nassau-coliseum-1.10499540
 

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