The Barclays Center is one of the most anticipated arena slated to open on September 28th 2012.  It’s a sports entertainment showplace that is located in the heart of downtown Brooklyn.  This venue is putting Madison Square Garden on notice and don’t think Jim Dolan isn’t aware of it’s immediate competition.  Did you know Brooklyn hasn’t held a major venue since the Brooklyn Dodgers left  in 1957?  In October 2012 – the re-branded Brooklyn Nets will call the Barclays Center it’s home.  It will be the first National Basketball Association venue opened since 2008.

The project is being developed by developer Bruce Ratner (Nets Minority Owner), who acquired the Nets in 2004, with the purpose of moving them from New Jersey.  This site is located near the Atlantic Avenue – Pacific Street subway station (which will have 9 subway lines) and the Long Island Rail Road”s Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn.  It’s one of the most transit-accessible locations in the country.  The Barclays Center will have 104 suites and be a state-of-the-art arena built for basketball and sight lines.

The Barclays Center will celebrate it’s opening with the following events:

  •  Rapper / Nets minority owner Jay-Z plans to open the Barclays Center by performing in a series of concerts. Sept 2012
  • Oscar De La Hoya‘s Golden Boy Promotions will bring boxing to the Barclays Center on October 20. Brooklyn native Paulie Malignaggi is expected to be on the card.
  • The first college basketball game played in the new arena – Maryland Terrapins and Kentucky Wildcats. Nov 2012
  • After nearly a decade of performing annual concerts in Madison Square Garden, Italian tenorAndrea Bocelli will make his Brooklyn debut at the venue, December 5, 2012, making it his only New York City performance in 2012.
  • Barclays Center will be the new New York City home of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, Disney on Ice and Champions on Ice.  The Barclays Center’s first Disney on Ice show is expected to be “100 Years of Magic”.
  • The Atlantic 10 Conference has announced that the Barclays Center will host the conference’s mens basketball tournament beginning in 2013.

It’s  been suggested that the New York Islanders could play games at the Barclays Center after their lease is up at at the Nassau Coliseum in 2015.  Since the arena is primarily configured for basketball – the seating could be re-arranged for hockey, but would only be able to seat 14,500 in it’s current hockey configuration  – which would make it the lowest seating capacity in the National Hockey League.

There are currently 2.5 MIL people living in Brooklyn and an additional 2MIL people living in Queens.  So, the notion of their not being enough people to span between MSG and the Barclays isn’t an issue.  The Barclays Center is it’s own brand and primary venue with it’s combination of ease of mass-transportation / residential and office buildings.  Historically, downtown Brooklyn was always an entertainment district.

The only notion that hasn’t been addressed are the plight of New Jersey / Brooklyn Nets.  Will the venue and majority owner Mikhail Prokorov be able to draw big-market talent to play at the arena.  Those questions can only be answered by General Manager Billy King, Head Coach Avery Johnson, All-Star Point Guard, Derron Williams and their coveted Free Agent Center – Dwight Howard.  There are alot of questions marks swirling around the NJ/BKYLN Nets.  You can definitely look for Jay-Z to take the lead on re-branding the team logos / uniforms / etc.

It’s all about Brooklyn with the Barclays Center.