NHL, Islanders, Set to Return

mel January 6, 2013 at 11:17 pm

The NHL really likes to cut off its nose to spite its face. Nothing like greed and a abreviated hockey season to excite the fan base!

sadeto January 7, 2013 at 12:39 am

I recently went to a basketball game at Barclays. Amazing arena, great neighborhood. The Islanders won't look back.

anonymous January 7, 2013 at 12:49 am

I seldom feel that a municipality should help fund a sports team/arena, but re: "The Hub" this was a 25 year mistake. The suburban lifestyle as we live it is unsustainable without new (young) blood and some sort of urban environment. Biggest Nassau County mistake in my lifetime

ed January 7, 2013 at 01:25 am

Don't support the Islanders! They are leaving Nassau!

mel January 7, 2013 at 02:46 am

I will still support the Islanders. They tried to stay on the Island. You can not blame Wang for moving them to Barclay. I am glad that they are staying in NY. Biggest Nassau County mistake!

Brent M. January 7, 2013 at 03:36 am

while I agree it sux.. if the developer of the Barclays comes and updates the Coliseum.. would people be open if he brings the Islanders back for lets say 20 games or so throughout the season>>????

Paul January 7, 2013 at 03:43 am

Leaving not by choice dude

Matthew Hogan (Editor) January 7, 2013 at 04:10 am

@Brent M. - 20 games would be half of the Isles' home schedule, so there's no way that's going to happen. If they worked out some sort of deal, they might be able to get one game at the Coliseum every season, but Barclays isn't going to sacrifice revenue so nostalgia fans can get their fix on Long Island.
Their thinking is that if fans really like the team, they'll travel the extra 20 some-odd miles westward to them.

sadeto January 7, 2013 at 04:35 am

Why would the Barclays developer want to update the Coliseum? What's the return? An updated dump with no tenant? Luxury boxes to oversee the flea markets, boat shows and civil service exams that will constitute the main events in the Coliseum' s future? It's not even a convenient practice facility when they play in Brooklyn, they'll probably rent Aviator.

Matthew Hogan (Editor) January 7, 2013 at 04:43 am

@sadeto: Nassau County announced in November its plans to "reinvent" the Nassau Coliseum by bringing in Forest City Ratner Companies (FCRC), the same developer responsible for Brooklyn's Barclay's Center. You can read more here: http://patch.com/A-zG7v
-- Matthew Hogan Associate Regional Editor Nassau County

sadeto January 7, 2013 at 04:57 am

Yes, I remember that announcement, and it still begs the question, why? Ratner will not want to develop something that will compete for entertainment revenue with Barclays (never mind "sports"', Nassau is not getting a major sports team back). So he's going to want to build major shopping and residential, and that will probably be shot down again.

Peter Ruffner January 7, 2013 at 12:28 pm

For all practical purposes, The Islanders are no longer long Island's team, geography aside. $0 years of tradition down the tubes. Blame, Murray, blame Mangano, blame Wang (he had the ultimate decision); fact, is the team is gone. Season tickets were in my family for the entire 40 years, but I cancelled them the moment they announced their move to Brooklyn. Murray and Mangano would never get my vote or that of any of my family members again and I personally would not give Wang another dime of my money.

Markymark January 7, 2013 at 12:54 pm

Murray is to blame. She was there during all te negotiations and shot them all down.

Rich January 7, 2013 at 02:34 pm

Boycott Hockey totally, The greedy bastards.. as for the Nassau Coliseum, it is much more then just a place for the Islanders to play, I have enjoyed many, many great concerts, and special events there, I don't know the politics anymore of Nassau county, but I am sure it sucks for all you Islander fans having to travel to Brooklyn to see them, I remember when the NY Nets played at the Coliseum back in the day, they moved to Jersey, as well as The Jets, Giants did, ask yourself why does the most awesome city in the world lose 2 NFL Football teams to Jersey. Now The Nets are back, I now reside in Tucson AZ, so here we had Spring training for the AZ Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, and Colorado Rockies ( yes I know it's not the same) my point being because of some stupid politician or whomever all 3 of these teams have left , ) The people of Nassau county must replace people that allow a Coliseum to get so run down and lose their team / events, etc.. ) I lived in Syosset and didn't mind a quick trip to see The Islanders, but now a drive/ train to Brooklyn I don;t think so.. whats next The Garden is going to ship off the Rangers and The Knicks...Remember money says alot and destroys alot as well.. Good Luck Islander fans.
.

Mitch January 7, 2013 at 02:56 pm

Using the outdated arena as an excuse for this teams lack of success, fan attendance and interest is nothing more than that....an excuse,,,,and a bad excuse as that.
How about poor drafting, poor management, poor coaching (with the exception of Ted Nolan a few years back) sucky players, sucky training staff and sucky marketing. A couple of years ago the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup in a building that at the time was the oldest arena in the NHL. Just switching to Baseball for a moment...a few years back the Boston Red Sox won a few World Championships in Fenway Park .....the Oldest, Biggest S%#thole Stadium in baseball. The players need to want to play hard and it's been decades since the Islanders had players who were willing to work hard and play hard and this is the bottom line- Get ready for more of the same as long as Garth Snow is running the show.

Mike January 7, 2013 at 03:34 pm

I saw a "study" (also known as slanted political nonsense with little merit) that said when the Isles leave, the revenue and dates would easily be replaced with concerts and there is nothing to worry about for the taxpayer. What a joke! The study was done 7-9 years ago, which makes the building that much older now. The Barclays Center did not exist when the study was done. The Coliseum is on asbestos watch after several complaints in 2012. The study did not take into account what a good' Isles team would mean versus the consistently bad one of recent memory. A Stanley Cup parade down Hempstead Turnpike alone, would generate a bundle of revenue for Nassau (yes, it has happened before). A residential area just outside of Phoenix, AZ is fighting hard to keep their professional franchise. Why? Answer is simple but Nassau politicians used garbage "studies" and other things to turn the Islanders, Coliseum and Economics 101 into a political and divisive issue.

Mike January 7, 2013 at 03:37 pm

and regardless of how you felt about the most recent referendum. There were many ways to get a new building and keep the Isles on Long Island but politicians consistently stifled any efforts over the years spanning back to the 90s.

Matthew Hogan (Editor) January 7, 2013 at 04:48 pm

A new story has been posted here: http://patch.com/A-0N8y
Nassau comptroller says county may have been better off without NHL season. -- Matthew Hogan Associate Regional Editor Nassau County

Ray Vance January 7, 2013 at 04:54 pm

Mitch, you go way too far in your assessment of what's wrong with the Isles. Taking a shot at the players is just cheap; they play hard. There's no doubt that an underperforming ownership and a succession of below average front office "execs" have plagued the team for 20 plus years and whined too much about the rink. They have failed to sustain a distraction-free winning culture. But the bad pre-Wang SMG deal continues to hurt revenue and by extension, team payroll. At the margin, the condition of the arena has to also affect the attendance of non die-hard fans by 500-1,000 fans a game. This impacts team payroll too. And by the way, the Fenway Park of today, with a $285 million makeover the past ten years, is much improved over what it once was. Until Wang stops meddling and overpays to bring in a top notch GM and scouting staff, we Isle fans will continue to hurt.

Mitch January 7, 2013 at 05:00 pm

The Joe Louis Arena in Detroit makes the Coliseum look like the Trump Plaza-
Why don't the Redwings have any attendance problems ?????

Brent M. January 7, 2013 at 05:17 pm

the answer is simple.. TOO MANY HANDS IN THE COOKIE JAR... WANG wants his say.. TOH wants their two sense in.. NASSAU COUNTY wants their say.. the NASSAU VETERANS want their voice included... NIFA has to approve.. and dont forget LEVITTRASH MURRAY who will doesnt care, but also wants her say.. put this all together and you get nothing done!!!

Mitch January 7, 2013 at 05:31 pm

Bottom line is this- If Islander fans really supported the team though the tough years and actually showed up at a few games, they wouldn't have the attendance / money problems they're currently facing and everyone would be happy- Isles management made it impossible to keep the fans coming because the product on the ice became atrocious and the entertainment value just wasn't there- Blame the Islander management and the Islander fans for this mess.

Cosmo January 7, 2013 at 05:32 pm

Don't support Kate Murray she forced them to leave.

Archie Bunker January 7, 2013 at 06:22 pm

Are there any hockey fans left?
I can tell you that I will neither attend or watch a game this season The NFL Playoffs have begun, basketball is in full swing and pitchers and catchers in 5 weeks

Nassau Taxpayer January 7, 2013 at 06:31 pm

Just in from lunchtime skate to read you're still drinking.

Archie Bunker January 7, 2013 at 08:52 pm

Hey there Nassau Taxpayer, can you bring me another beer

sadeto January 7, 2013 at 09:15 pm

Hockey is the only pro sport I can consistently watch. The NFL is overly scripted and overly regulated; basketball is great but I can't figure out what it has to do with the NBA; and baseball is fun to listen to on the radio while you get other things done.
And hockey has a nice way of taking care of prima donnas on the ice.

Nassau Taxpayer January 7, 2013 at 10:48 pm

Ask your dog. "Here, WeGo!"

Ralebird January 8, 2013 at 06:32 am

I would like to see Kate Murray at the home opener to drop the first puck.
I don't mean a ceremonial puck drop from a red carpet, I mean I would like to see her at center ice dropping the puck for the game starting faceoff and then trying to get off the ice in one (very big) piece!

KP LIslander January 9, 2013 at 04:57 am

@Matthew Hogan: I seem to be missing something here.
Mangano announced plans to “reinvent” the Nassau Coliseum by bringing in Forest City Ratner Companies, the same developer responsible for Barclay’s Center. This is "to help transform the venue into becoming what the county described as ‘an attractive, state-of-the-art destination for sports & entertainment.’ " Really? Mangano is doing this NOW, AFTER Wang’s hand was forced by the TOH & Nassau County & was left with no choice but to move? Why now? Why couldn’t this have been considered BEFORE Wang was left with no option but to move? How is that going to be paid for? And how would the manner in which this is to be paid for now be any different vs. how such a course of action would have been funded with the Isles kept in place in Uniondale? I don’t get it. I would really like to see the media ensure making it a point to highlight this valid & legitimate aspect in order for this to be addressed as it should be & not glossed over, minimized, trivialized & conveniently brushed under the rug. This just seems to perpetuate the perception of the pols being short-sighted baffoons trying to cover their a$$ in vain. Yet more of the same nonsense from the same inept, dysfunctional gov’t officials being paid by the taxpayer. Mind boggling & unbelievable. Pathetic. And unconscionable that they even have the temerity to act as though they are not complicit or culpable, as if they have done nothing wrong. A-WH()Le$