Ladies and gentlemen, your Brooklyn Islanders!

After over 40 years at the Nassau Coliseum, owner Charles Wang announced that the Islanders will be moving to the Barclays Center in 2015.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ap-source-ny-islanders-moving-145813288--nhl.html

I know it'll be harder for some LI residents to get to the Barclays, because it's a shitty drive, but it could be worse. At least they don't have to worry about rooting for the Kansas City Islanders, or the Hamilton Islanders.

 

Does anyone worry about rooting for the Islanders wherever they are?

 

Uh. One fairly major problem with this: Barclays is a basketball-only arena. This is what hockey looks like in Barclays:



Essentially what the Coyotes had to deal with before moving to Glendale.

 

Daily News says the arena can fit 14,500 fans for hockey.

In other words, the Islanders should feel right at home.

 

It's a smart move. Nassau County was never going to help build a new arena.

Also provides a more convenient plausible alternative to the Rangers or Devils as a hockey night out in NYC.

 

Question: What's the subway serving the Barclays Center?

 

All of them. (Almost.)

Eleven subway lines stop near the arena:
2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, N, Q, R to Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center C to Lafayette Avenue G to Fulton Street

www.barclayscenter.com/getting-here/public-transportation

 

Another story: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/2012/10/24/islanders-brooklyn-barclays-center-announcement/1654181/?kjnd=DFC5g8xhWUr1%2FqzOh20s%2BlAKSAc3rchtFOwVVUWKllkWD%2B%2FUBntILDilKKK0XnOR-8a61284e-07d2-485a-8f97-07ef965fb79d_3AFN4Hs5C5tPBs78s9UqGjQbjcX%2BQtSOyLKHdzXJ3DwiE%2B6Co7OaQdK7XXtjf24y

 

Least surprising announcement out of the NHL in a while ... almost as unsurprising as when Gary Bettman, Bill Daly and Co. cancelled all games until Nov. 1 less than 24 hours after taking less than five minutes to shoot down each of Donald Fehr's three counterproposals to the owners' latest CBA offer.

Nassau County won't help Charles Wang even though the latter is willing to foot much of the bill.

 

With all the hipsters living in Brookleyn they're better off with professional kickball.

 

If they move to Brooklyn, they should be required to give up the name Islanders.