Thats ****ing stupid. Tuesday night? Why not a Saturday. Definitely wont be able to go now.
Actually they probably made it a weeknight over a Saturday on purpose. Let's be honest...This game is an experiment from A to Z. The venue may suck for hockey but if it doesn't and they get more fans for a weeknight exhibition game in Brooklyn vs. a regular season Saturday night home in Nassau...That says something. And I hope it says something loudest to Wang.
Thats ****ing stupid. Tuesday night? Why not a Saturday. Definitely wont be able to go now.
I think this says volumes. They better get a ton of local support to replace the Nassau and Suffolk people who can't go to 7:00 games as is. Think Wang is going to insist on 7PM starts for the kids in Brooklyn? Will he relent for the grownups and make 7:30 starts?
New arena offers an intriguing option for Islanders if Nassau County isn't part of their future
A former Newsday reporter, who has followed the Isles’ pursuit of a new arena, puts it this way: "No owner in the history of sports has been so badly treated by his home county and his surrounding town than Wang. Charles has spent a fortune to keep his team in Uniondale and has gotten no respect, no satisfaction, nothing in return from Long Island politicians."
The man is right and I speak firsthand, having covered the club's pursuit of a new facility for almost two decades. Over the years, Nassau County politicians merely talk about helping the Islanders while Kate Murray, who runs the Town of Hempstead, has deposited endless roadblocks in front of Wang's attempt to build a Lighthouse development, including a new arena, on her turf.
Without question, the Islanders owner wants his club to remain precisely where it is.
"I live on Long Island and I love Long Island," says Wang, with the utmost sincerity, and his words are precisely true. But there's just so much frustration that even a wealthy executive can tolerate and Wang has been doing a lot of tolerating for a long time. Too long
Well this settles it. Stan predicts (hopes) NYI will stay in Uniondale and as we all know the last prediction Stan got right was Kennedy becoming President in the 60s so NYI will no doubt leave nassau.
The Federal Highway Administration has removed a major obstacle to the Bloomberg administration’s plan to turn a waterlogged enclave of crumbling shops and sheds near Citi Field into a major development site.
In a decision long awaited by both supporters and opponents of the project, which is to cost about $3 billion, federal officials found that it would have “no significant effect on the human environment.”
Real estate executives say that the city has narrowed the field to three developers, including Related Companies and its partner Sterling Equities, a real estate company formed by Fred Wilpon and Saul B. Katz, the owners of the Mets. But the executives and some city officials also say it has been difficult to make the project financially viable.
This news MAY help the Islanders in moving to Queens. Even though Wang likely isn't interested in developing WP, I think he is OK with moving the team there and sell it to Sterling Equities at some point (likely around 2030 to drive up the team price).
Okay, huge bit of info on Islanderspointblank today. There's a more detailed seating chart for hockey at Barclays. Here's the link (and click on the image to expand it):
As you'll see, the seating will be horseshoe, with very little seating at one end of the ice. This is kind of like one or two of the older arenas I remember from when I was a kid.
I'm sure many will see this and think it's bad news. But I think it's actually good news. It makes me think that a LOT more seats can be added without making structural changes to the arena. They just need to figure out a way to get more seats in, and if it's economically viable they'll do it. For instance, it seems like they could figure something out to get movable seating in the lower bowl at the now empty end of the ice. Better yet, if they could take out the lower part of sections 12-20 and move the rink to the "right", that might open up a lot more seats on the other end of the rink (depending on the effect on sightlines).
Anyway, I thought it was 14,500 end of story and they'd have to literally raise the roof or something to get more seats in. This is now intriguing.
Okay, huge bit of info on Islanderspointblank today. There's a more detailed seating chart for hockey at Barclays. Here's the link (and click on the image to expand it):
As you'll see, the seating will be horseshoe, with very little seating at one end of the ice. This is kind of like one or two of the older arenas I remember from when I was a kid.
I'm sure many will see this and think it's bad news. But I think it's actually good news. It makes me think that a LOT more seats can be added without making structural changes to the arena. They just need to figure out a way to get more seats in, and if it's economically viable they'll do it. For instance, it seems like they could figure something out to get movable seating in the lower bowl at the now empty end of the ice. Better yet, if they could take out the lower part of sections 12-20 and move the rink to the "right", that might open up a lot more seats on the other end of the rink (depending on the effect on sightlines).
Anyway, I thought it was 14,500 end of story and they'd have to literally raise the roof or something to get more seats in. This is now intriguing.
So this article is basically confirming 14.5K including the limited view. Sucks from an attending fans perspective.
For those thinking that a sellout will be a statement ok but just to give you another perspective. I am a STH who won't be able to go to more than 4-5 in brooklyn but bought 4 to the preseason because I want to see the place with an open mind AND the guys next to me also STHs from Nassau who will need to give them up, bought 16 seats to the game, a whole row. Between the hype, people curious to see the new arena and fans of the Devils, Nets, Rangers, Islanders I have little doubt this will sell out. This is good due diligence and sends a message. The real statement would be if it sold out midweek for a preseason game in 2013 vs a non local team. They may get that chance as well.
With all the propaganda and opinions going back and forth, it will help to firm up opinions after we see how viable the stadium really is. I am a huge pessimist on the Brooklyn idea, so if they are moving there, I hope this will convince me differently.
The real statement would be if it sold out midweek for a preseason game in 2013 vs a non local team. They may get that chance as well.
Actually, the real statement would be if it sold out midweek for a regular season game in 2015, which I think will happen with or without a large percentage of the Nassau/Suffolk current STHs going to the games.
Actually, the real statement would be if it sold out midweek for a regular season game in 2015, which I think will happen with or without a large percentage of the Nassau/Suffolk current STHs going to the games.
My comment was meant to refer to making a statement to move there in the first place. If they sell it out for preseason after the fanfare and newness are gone, that would be a good indication they can sell it out and provide more incentive to make it happen. There is no need to make a statement about moving if you have already moved.
My concern is, if they move, I would rather they be local in a first class building than one that is not meant for hockey and has limited upside. That is a question that all of us who go there for the game will be able to answer for ourselves in October.
If they move there, there is no doubt the STH fanbase will have to shift to much more local. It is a given.
Just to make it easier, here's the new seating chart I'm talking about (the white sections will be empty, and the grey sections are limited view):
I wonder if they could set up some kind of risers with folding chairs in the lower section where it is whited out? Like maybe 6 rows of seats from the blueline over to the goal line. That would probably up the capacity of non obstructed seats up to 15,000. Plus it wouldn't look like that side of the arena would be totally empty. In PHX they used to have retractable seats in the end zone that was obstructed, I wonder if they could do this at Barclays?
Just to make it easier, here's the new seating chart I'm talking about (the white sections will be empty, and the grey sections are limited view):
Yes, this seats 18K for basketball. With the rink eliminating a large number of courtside seats plus what appears to be roughly about 1/4 the arena in gray or extended rink (either removed or limited view seats). I see this as nothing but a bad thing. The rink itself removes about 1.5K seats from MSG, without having to remove any seats at one whole end of the arena. Following this train of thought, it appears to be 14.5K including obstructed. If anyone can find something which says officially 14.5K unobstructed and 16K-18K total the would make this a much more viable arrangement.
Maybe they can force in seats, I am not an engineer, but from other similar arenas posted it appears that the stands need to be collapsed in those areas, the collapsed seats would be covered and take up space which would seem to present a challenge on how to create additional hockey seating here . Maybe someone can come up with a design for this but as of now, this was Barclays own floor plan for seats.
Yes they can increase the cost of seats and depending on the elasticity of the demand curve determine how that would affect profit. From our point of view when we purchase our tickets it would mean less seats, higher cost.
Last edited by 19 in a row: 04-06-2012 at 01:48 PM.
At first glance this would appear to make the concept of playing in Brooklyn very silly. Like, I just flew in from Boston and boy are my arms tired, kind of silly. Of course, with half a real payroll I guess half a real rink is suitable.
What % of the Islander fan base comes from Suffolk county? Would folks actually make the trip in to Brooklyn if they relocated there? Seems like an awfully long trip. I have wondered why, if they were going to build a new facility, why it would not have been EAST of Hempstead.
At first glance this would appear to make the concept of playing in Brooklyn very silly. Like, I just flew in from Boston and boy are my arms tired, kind of silly. Of course, with half a real payroll I guess half a real rink is suitable.
I give up.
It just won't work as a hockey venue. I didn't think it would be THAT bad.
And what kind of idiot pays $15 to see 1/2 the rink.
Okay, huge bit of info on Islanderspointblank today. There's a more detailed seating chart for hockey at Barclays. Here's the link (and click on the image to expand it):
As you'll see, the seating will be horseshoe, with very little seating at one end of the ice. This is kind of like one or two of the older arenas I remember from when I was a kid.
I'm sure many will see this and think it's bad news. But I think it's actually good news. It makes me think that a LOT more seats can be added without making structural changes to the arena. They just need to figure out a way to get more seats in, and if it's economically viable they'll do it. For instance, it seems like they could figure something out to get movable seating in the lower bowl at the now empty end of the ice. Better yet, if they could take out the lower part of sections 12-20 and move the rink to the "right", that might open up a lot more seats on the other end of the rink (depending on the effect on sightlines).
Anyway, I thought it was 14,500 end of story and they'd have to literally raise the roof or something to get more seats in. This is now intriguing.
A poster on Imania that works for the Barclay's building/project posted that the horseshoe setup isn't a dealbreaker for the NHL and that expansion of the seats/arena can be improved and added somewhat. Very interesting stuff.
At first glance this would appear to make the concept of playing in Brooklyn very silly. Like, I just flew in from Boston and boy are my arms tired, kind of silly. Of course, with half a real payroll I guess half a real rink is suitable.
I give up.
This.
"Silly" being the key word. Look at that seating chart. I mean really look at it and try to make a coherent argument about why this isn't completely off the wall insane.
I knew it would be a challenge but I didn't know it would be THAT bad. I didn't know they would basically have to shut down one entire end of the building.
If that seating chart is 100% accurate, then this is an absolute joke that will never work. Even the morons who run nassau county will be able to see that building poses no real threat. At least not in that condition.
I think Kevin Schultz does a decent job over at IPB, but I am really, really annoyed at him for writing an extensive blog entry on the most circulated Islanders website on a topic that the guy literally doesn't have a clue about. Now he has set the entire online NYI/NHL community into a frenzy for posting drivel on a board that a ton of people read.
That seating chart is Barclay's way of playing it safe for a trial preseason game ensuring that everyone at the ticket has a great view and a positive experience, and they can get momentum going. Even the "limited view" seats on sale have only a small portion of the corner obstructed, hardly even the worst seats for NHL hockey. That chart is nothing like a regular season chart would be, and doesn't even begin to take into account the minor, low cost changes that could be made to the building that would increase capacity and make use of the poor end of the ice. For Kevin Schultz to imply that this would be the permanent seating layout should the NYI play in Brooklyn for more than an exhibition game, and put it on his heavily trafficked site with no architectural explanation to back it up is careless and stupid, one simply has to see the effect it had on his blog's comments, and all over here on HF.
Obviously, the building will never be ideal for hockey, that goes without saying, but I have been studying architecture for over half a decade now, specifically sports architecture, and I know the specifics of just about every North American NHL/NBA arena in use, under construction, or recently demolished like the back of my hand. Or in summation, I know a hell of a lot more about the mathematical specifics of this issue than Kevin Schultz does, and there is no way that would be the seating layout if the Islanders inhabited that rink on a full time basis, and what Schultz put there is to say the least, severely misleading.
