Hoops of Flatbush; Barclays Center

From the desk of:   THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

BARCLAYS CENTER: MARCH Towards Opening Night.

MARCH 2011

March 2012

Jim Dolan just had a small piece of his pie taken by the Barclays Center.  The Battle of Brooklyn is an annual series played between Brooklyn's two downtown colleges; LIU and St. Francis.  Each year they take turns hosting games.  In February, the Blackbirds hosted game two at the Wellness Center.  But the initial game in this year's Battle for Brooklyn was played on February 8th across the river in Madison Square Garden, and won by the LIU Blackbirds.

There's a new front in the Battle for Brooklyn now, being built at the corners of Atlantic Avenue and Flatbush.  The annual collegiate clash will appropriately be fought on it's home turf, right here in Brooklyn, for Barclays Center will now host the Kings County rivalry.

In a broader plan to bring college basketball to downtown Brooklyn's new arena, LIU will also take on Morehead State on November 9th.  The Kentucky Wildcats will then take on the Maryland Terrapins in a game to follow LIU's.  Then on December 9th, the Blackbirds will host the Seton Hall Pirates.  As the NYDN ad (left) the Nets took out recently suggests, they promise much more than the Nets and college basketball.  Boxing, concerts, and live shows are part of the future at Barclays as well.

With the LIU Blackbirds heading to the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season, possibilities about hosting NEC Tournaments; NIT Invitationals; and even an NCAA Tournament Regional one day in the furure do not seem too outlandish to me.

And remember, Barclays Center will also host the New Jersey Devils versus the New York Islanders in a 2012-2013 pre-season game later this fall as well.  Who knows how the Islanders' situation will wind up in Nassua County.

 

Related Posts:

N.Y. Knicks - Coach D'Antoni; Compare and Contrast - BTB

LIU Blackbirds - Back to Back NEC Champs - BTB

Mike.BTB