News Article: Isles Moving AGAIN Speculation????

[OlTimeHockey]

Sweet mother of Pete, does this nonsense ever end?

The battle between watching the game from your seat or on your I-Phone continues.


It's the joke that keeps getting told IMHO. I have complete faith things will improve when this is all over. We're staying in NYand likely to be better off with UFA's and the whole "watching the game from your seats without a mirror" part.

 

[denis]

Sweet mother of Pete, does this nonsense ever end?

We are Islanders fans, so did you really expect it to? As long as they stay local, I don't care where they play, the shape of the arena, etc. I just flipping want to watch my hockey team play.

 

[OlTimeHockey]

hope this happens...

and if it does, no more black and white ********

Unless Ledecky adopts Yormark so he can have his own Chris Dey.

 

[Wedregast]

As someone who lives in Queens I'd love this if it were true. That said Id bet it is all about getting leverage to make Barclays do proper renovations for hockey.

 

[Lame Lambert]

As someone who lives in Queens I'd love this if it were true. That said Id bet it is all about getting leverage to make Barclays do proper renovations for hockey.

Not sure how it makes any economic sense for Barclays to do it. They'd probably tell the Isles to leave at that point.

 

[Bones45]

As someone who lives in Queens I'd love this if it were true. That said Id bet it is all about getting leverage to make Barclays do proper renovations for hockey.

Do you think you would do major renovations to your home if your in-laws were complaining?

Youd tell them to deal with it, or GTFO.

 

[CodeE]

This would be awesome considering my parent's house is along the Port Washington line. Be a lot more spontaneous around Christmastime buying some stubhub tickets the day of knowing I can be at the arena in 30 minutes tops.

 

[danteipp]

I would love this. Still have he allure of the city but also so close to Nassau.

That being said, if it involves the Wilpons coughing up any dough then you can forget it.

This is the most important line in the entire conversation. The Wilpons are leveraged to the hilt and so far in debt for Citifield and SNY that it would have to be a plum deal for them to participate.

 

[Strummergas]

Would a Willets Point arena be closer to you?

We're talking about a difference of 3 miles, but getting back from Mets games takes about the same amount of time as it does to get back from Barclays. Maybe a negligible amount of time less.

 

[Strummergas]

hope this happens...

and if it does, no more black and white ********

I would've thought you had gotten that sand out of your folds by now. Silly me.

 

[Bexlyspeed]

As someone who lives in Queens I'd love this if it were true. That said Id bet it is all about getting leverage to make Barclays do proper renovations for hockey.

I think this is on point.

a new arena In queens would have to compete with Barclays and MSG for concerts and stuff, how could it survive on just the islanders? rodeo? arena football? lacrosse???

plus NYCFC's stadium in 3 years overdue and they don't even have a location picked out yet, willets point has been mentioned but nothing gets done quickly in NYC.

 

[Steve55]

I've believed Queens is the best place for the Islanders for a long time, since it is a gate way to regional Long Island and to the rest of New York City. But I am not sure if NYC is willing to fork 500M for a hockey specific rink plus a parking garage to accommodate Isles and Mets. NYC rejected it in 2012, so what's different in 2016?

Also how are they going to mitigate public transportation problems in and around Citi Field? I understand it's only subway line 7 and LIRR Port Washington that serve the Citi Field area.

 

[FourRings]

This is pretty interesting. As stated above; at the absolute least it puts pressure on the Barclay's people to make changes to accommodate the Islanders (and hockey in general).

I can see the new arena in Queens being paid for by the Mets/Islanders in full while the rest of the redevelopment of the area (i.e. shops, bars etc.) can be taxpayer subsidized because of the sheer number of jobs that will be created from the construction and new businesses (which, I'm sure will kick money back to the Islanders and the Mets).

If this goes through, don't be surprised if the MSG cable deal goes away and the Isles will be aired on SNY. One hand washes the other..

 

[GTislanders]

Have to think this would have to be decided soon. Your franchise player is an UFA in TWO years. If you can get this done and give JT his contract then the Isles are just about perfect in my eyes. I dislike Brooklyn and don't see it working long term.

Too much smoke now with this to think it won't grow legs. GTFO with this Brooklyn crap. Isles are blue orange and white and share the same fanbase with the mets.

 

[nycole]

Nooooooooooooooooooo

psych! I honestly don't see this happening and being a financial improvement for the Isles long-term. There's too much money in Bk, and Flushing is still a long way off from becoming a tourist and corporate attraction. I'm not convinced this would be a much better option than... a renovated Coliseum.

The Isles are guaranteed a revenue of $50 mil/year, I believe. Can this area of Queens match $1 mil/game?

Edit: unless the players really, and I mean really really hate Brooklyn, but Flushing isn't exactly around the corner either.

 

[Lame Lambert]

Nooooooooooooooooooo

psych! I honestly don't see this happening and being a financial improvement for the Isles long-term. There's too much money in Bk, and Flushing is still a long way off from becoming a tourist and corporate attraction. I'm not convinced this would be a much better option than... a renovated Coliseum.

The Isles are guaranteed a revenue of $50 mil/year, I believe. Can this area of Queens match $1 mil/game?

Don't forget that this would give ownership control of the business decisions again. It might be worth it to take a hit on revenue in order to have full control of all operations.

 

[Strummergas]

Have to think this would have to be decided soon. Your franchise player is an UFA in TWO years. If you can get this done and give JT his contract then the Isles are just about perfect in my eyes. I dislike Brooklyn and don't see it working long term.

Too much smoke now with this to think it won't grow legs. GTFO with this Brooklyn crap. Isles are blue orange and white and share the same fanbase with the mets.

This has nothing to do with the next Tavares contract and likely won't amount to anything when you factor everything into the equation. It's more than likely a move to get Barclays to make some big changes to help alleviate the challenges of hockey in that arena. And if it only accomplishes that, then it will be worth it.

 

[Strummergas]

Edit: unless the players really, and I mean really really hate Brooklyn, but Flushing isn't exactly around the corner either.

Even if this were true, it would only be the current crop of players and only because they have Long Island to compare it to. Eventually the roster will turn over, and you'll have players on the team who never got to experience what it was like to have everything based on LI.

 

[DarkHorse]

Don't forget that this would give ownership control of the business decisions again. It might be worth it to take a hit on revenue in order to have full control of all operations.

Let's not forget that with Barclay's handling business, there's a lot of overhead the Isles aren't paying.

 

[GTislanders]

This has nothing to do with the next Tavares contract and likely won't amount to anything when you factor everything into the equation. It's more than likely a move to get Barclays to make some big changes to help alleviate the challenges of hockey in that arena. And if it only accomplishes that, then it will be worth it.

Actually, i think this is very real and is the preferred option over Barclays improvements. Isles would play on SNY and make the same, if not more, in this situation.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

Isles on SNY? Trade Howie for Gary Cohen! Jk, but Gary is one of the best PBP guys and the Mets trio of Gary, Ron and Keith is as knowledgeable as they are hysterical.

Also, the timing of this "leaked" news can't be a coincidence. Hockey summer doldrums? nope, get people talking about the Isles again.

 

[Lame Lambert]

Let's not forget that with Barclay's handling business, there's a lot of overhead the Isles aren't paying.

Of course, hence why I'm sure Malkin and Ledecky are weighing the costs and benefits of it.

 

[stranger34]

this would be ideal....more of a LI feel and closer to the fanbase while stilll being in the city...

would have to think this would be a redesign/construction of arthur ashe with a retractable roof for hockey?

having said that, im not getting my hopes up

Almost impossible it has anything to do with the Tennis Center.

 

[nyisles]

I'd love for this to be true, but from what I understand the biggest hurdle is getting rid of all the slumlords and squatters in the Iron Triangle. They have a ton of junkyards and shady repair shops over there and it could take years to force enough people out to accommodate another sports venue, if they can manage to do it at all.

Then again, they could probably just build the arena using some of the Citi Field lot and replace the lost parking with garages, but it would sure be nicer to have at least some of the Iron Triangle cleaned up.

 

[stranger34]

I've believed Queens is the best place for the Islanders for a long time, since it is a gate way to regional Long Island and to the rest of New York City. But I am not sure if NYC is willing to fork 500M for a hockey specific rink plus a parking garage to accommodate Isles and Mets. NYC rejected it in 2012, so what's different in 2016?

Also how are they going to mitigate public transportation problems in and around Citi Field? I understand it's only subway line 7 and LIRR Port Washington that serve the Citi Field area.

If the area can handle the US Open and the Mets together, it can handle Mets + Hockey. All 3 will never overlap.