OT: NY Islanders relocating
To the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Wonder if they will change their nickname?
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57539935/nhls-islanders-moving-to-brooklyn-in-2015/
October 26th, 2012 at 9:11 AM ^
That MICH will give Roy Roundtree the #1 jersey?
October 26th, 2012 at 9:22 AM ^
To be fair that's not what he says. He says "Roy Roundtree will wear the #1 jersey before he leaves Michigan." Doesn't say it has to be HIS #1 jersey. Could be David Terrell's old jersey or even AC's. And nowhere does he claim he's going to wear it in a game or anything....could be he's going to wear it to bed like pajamas or something. And he doesnt claim Michigan is going to give it him....just that he's going to wear it....sometime before he leaves Michigan (I'm thinking the state...not the school). He might stay in the state a long, long time.
I think he's right.
October 26th, 2012 at 9:30 AM ^
I think I love you
but what am I so afraid of?
October 26th, 2012 at 12:26 PM ^
I'm pretty sure you're afraid you're not sure of a love there is no cure for. And I think you're wondering isn't that what's life made of and lastly I think it worries you to say that you've never felt that way.
October 26th, 2012 at 9:42 AM ^
Don't you have to be able to catch the ball consistently?
October 26th, 2012 at 9:48 AM ^
I wear a #1 jersey all of the time and I'm terrible at catching balls.
October 26th, 2012 at 10:44 AM ^
That's not what I've heard.
October 26th, 2012 at 10:53 AM ^
no need to tell the MGoBoard what we were doing last night ;-)
October 26th, 2012 at 10:56 AM ^
I was about 90% sure you were joking until the winkie face. Now, I'm not sure if serious.
October 26th, 2012 at 11:01 AM ^
there is always room for one more
October 26th, 2012 at 11:06 AM ^
Boston's a pretty long drive...
October 26th, 2012 at 11:44 AM ^
It wasn't weird until you brought Diamond Rio into it. Not cool.
October 26th, 2012 at 11:59 AM ^
you think that this is weird?
Frankly I'm hurt.
October 26th, 2012 at 10:38 AM ^
Let's ask Braylon...
Nope.
October 26th, 2012 at 9:12 AM ^
But still an interesting move.
October 26th, 2012 at 9:14 AM ^
The team will not be changing their team name or logo. The Islanders owner Charles Wang said that "We are the New York Islanders".
October 26th, 2012 at 9:44 AM ^
Dumb move. A good chunk of the reason the Nets are getting so hyped up is that they were renamed the Brooklyn Nets, allowing people to wear Brooklyn logoed stuff and creating an affinity between team and borough. It also gave some people who rooted for the Knicks permission to switch alliegence to the new 'home-town' team (assisted by the Knicks decision to construct a team more suited to winning in 2002 than 2012). Remaining the NY Islanders won't do either.
October 26th, 2012 at 10:00 AM ^
I was expecting them to change their name from New York to Brooklyn and also come up with a new and improved logo. It gives the fans some excitement when there is something new like that to wear around. On a marketing and fan gear aspect of it all, there's no improvements because of them not making a location or logo change. This would have been a good opportunity to get their merchandise sold if they made changes. Not sure that it really is now
October 26th, 2012 at 10:14 AM ^
I disagree. The Islanders have much more of a tradition than the Nets (and the Nets were the New Jersey Nets so that didn't really work). There is no real need to rename the team for Brooklyn (NY is still appropriate) and if you did, you might alienate a portion of your existing fan base.
October 26th, 2012 at 10:27 AM ^
they probably don't have a big existing fan base given how terrible they've been. Agreed that the Nets situation is different due to the New Jersey name. That wouldnt work. Again though you might be able to bring some excitement or even new fans by making some changes to the franchise. If not the location name then maybe a logo/jersey change. I'm sure that already the move from Long Island to Brooklyn may alienate some fans already that have to travel to Brooklyn to see then. Although I can't say that for certain. Maybe they don't need to do anything else and can figure out other ways to bring in fans, new players and excitement to the franchise. Should be interesting to see.
October 26th, 2012 at 10:54 AM ^
Brooklyn is on Long Island.
The other Islander fan in my office suggested the NY Bag-A-Doughnuts (instead of Islanders). I thought that was pretty funny. The Barclays Center seats about 5K less people than the Nassau Coliseum does. And, the lease is for 25 years. So, I geuess the Bag-A-Doughnuts aren't leaving the NY metro area any time soon. Given their lousy play over the last 10+ years, I doubt there are 10K Islander fans left. Also, this will make it easier for the Ranger and Devil fans to see their teams "on the road".
October 26th, 2012 at 11:25 AM ^
That last point is important, and holds not only for Ranger and Devil fans, but fans of the Bruins, Wings, Flyers, Sabers, Canadiens, etc, etc. Any NHL team with a significant following is going to have a sizable number of fans in the NY area, and the Barclays Center is super easy to get to given all the transit connections.
Even if they're struggling, they'll be able to maintain a pretty high ticket price point and sell out via the fans of other teams. As a reference point, the cheapest Nets tix are $22, and there are very few of those, with prices for better seats in the upper deck ranging between $42 and $57.
October 26th, 2012 at 12:38 PM ^
There are many Brooklyn residents like myself that have been eyeing the Islanders situation over the last year or so, and quietly hoping they would move to Barclays. As a die-hard Wings fan, I would attend many games (maybe even season tix), and happily embrace them as my "Eastern Conference" team. There are many young professionals from out of town now living in Brooklyn - I think this demographic, in addition to the existing LIRR fans will be a huge base of support for them. I think the enthusiasm will return in a big way.
October 26th, 2012 at 10:30 AM ^
How much of that fan base are they planning on retaining? Aren't they already alienating it by moving away from Long Island? I question how many fans accustomed to driving to the Nassau Coliseum are going to get on the train to Brooklyn. They could drive, but anyone who drives to that arena for a normal weekday 7:30 start time is asking to sit in their car for half the game. This move has to be based on the idea that they're going to create a substantially new fan base in a new location.
(And yes, geographically Brooklyn is part of Long Island, but people in Brooklyn don't see themselves as living on Long Island and Long Islanders don't see Brooklyn as part of LI, so functionally the Islanders have left Long Island.)
October 26th, 2012 at 12:14 PM ^
Long Islanders are very accustomed to taking mass transit to see sporting events. A change at Jamaica to Atlantic Avenue is, honestly, probably preferred to a drive to the old (crappy) rink.
October 26th, 2012 at 9:15 AM ^
I don't think they have to change the name. Brooklyn is on Long Island, so they'd still be appropriately named the islanders.
October 26th, 2012 at 9:17 AM ^
I guess it is technically, but it is not considered as part of the Island
October 26th, 2012 at 11:14 PM ^
Not only that, but they wouldn't be the only team with a name based on something from their prior home: Calgary Flames.
October 26th, 2012 at 9:16 AM ^
Should go with the Brooklyn Hockey Nets and make Rick DiPietro their logo and mascot.
October 26th, 2012 at 9:17 AM ^
Ah, yes. A several-day-old story that has nothing to do with Michigan or college sports, on the eve of one of our biggest games in years, that poses a question that has already been unambiguously answered.
Fine, fine work here.
October 26th, 2012 at 9:19 AM ^
It's something to post. If I don't post, how will people know how cool I am?!
October 26th, 2012 at 10:36 AM ^
is one of our biggest games in years. I'd say it's probably going to be the 5th biggest game of 2012 for pete's sake (Bama, OSU, ND, MSU..Nebraska)
It was news to me and the stuff getting bumped from the front page is already a day old anyway
October 26th, 2012 at 10:58 AM ^
Disagree. Rivalry games are rivalry games, but it's hard to find a Michigan game since the Carr era with more significant Rose Bowl ramifications. Plus, with a 2-point spread, this is well within the "could go either way" range.
October 26th, 2012 at 11:39 AM ^
This is easily the most important game of the season. Alabama and ND count for nothing unless we're looking for a spot in Miami (we're not) or are in serious contention for an at-large BCS bid (almost definitely not).
OSU is only important if we win and then lose another two, or Nebraska wins and loses. Barring that happening, Nebraska is who we go through to get to Indianapolis. Nebraska is the most important game of the season, although MSU could have been if they were any good.
I can't express just how much I hate this, but we're in a better position for the Rose Bowl if we win in Lincoln and lose in Columbus than the reverse. Thank whoever put the divisions together for that fact.
October 26th, 2012 at 11:05 AM ^
No shit it isn't about Michigan athletics. Hence, the reason why I threw an "OT:" in front of it.
October 26th, 2012 at 9:32 AM ^
It's a horrible organization, with some pretty bad years behind them. They should rebrand, but I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't.
October 26th, 2012 at 9:34 AM ^
They still play hockey?
October 26th, 2012 at 11:47 AM ^
They still have a roster and draft players, but I wouldn't call whatever it is the Islanders do "hockey." I've seen hockey, and that ain't it.
October 26th, 2012 at 9:40 AM ^
so I'm pretty excited to have 2 teams I can go see (well starting in a few years). Although I'm pretty sure they picked the 2 most boring NY area franchises to move to Brooklyn.
October 26th, 2012 at 10:04 AM ^
At least you can go to the Michigan basketball game against West Virginia in December at the Barclays Center. That should be pretty sweet
October 26th, 2012 at 10:59 AM ^
It's gonna be awesome
October 26th, 2012 at 10:21 AM ^
Well obviously. Teams don't move if they had fans in their previous location
October 26th, 2012 at 11:09 AM ^
to Downtown Detroit was it to attact new fans?
October 26th, 2012 at 11:11 AM ^
a completely unnecessary remark ("well obviously"). A good Friday to you too pal.
October 26th, 2012 at 9:44 AM ^
NHL franchises are pretty much hypothetical entities at this point, anyhow...
October 26th, 2012 at 9:47 AM ^
Brooklyn is still on Long Island... no need to change the nickname
October 26th, 2012 at 9:54 AM ^
The interesting part of this is that Long Islanders consider Brooklyn a world away. Brooklyn residents see a trip to Long Island as an all-day affair where they have to pack up the kids and the dog. It's the same reason why most Long Islanders have only been to New Jersey a handful of times in their lives.
October 26th, 2012 at 9:57 AM ^
I can see that I guess... My recent trip to the the NYC area included a stop in the middle of Long Island. My stop for the night was in Brooklyn, however, and it took me almost an hour to get there by car.
October 26th, 2012 at 10:38 AM ^
That is because Long Islanders do not consider Brooklyn to be part of Long Island. It is part of the City, which is usually a day trip.