Eyes On Isles
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New York Islanders Arena Drama Five Years To Nowhere

By Michel Anderson

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 15: A group of New York Islanders commute via the Long Island Rail Road followed by a brief walk to get to the arena prior to their game against the Chicago Blackhawks at the Barclays Center on December 15, 2016 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 15: A group of New York Islanders commute via the Long Island Rail Road followed by a brief walk to get to the arena prior to their game against the Chicago Blackhawks at the Barclays Center on December 15, 2016 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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It’s been five years since then New York Islanders owner Charles Wang announced that the team would be moving to Brooklyn. And in those five years, the team moved but is still no closer to their forever home.

On October 24th, 2012, Charles Wang, then still the singular majority owner of the New York Islanders announced that the team would be moving to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The move would take place following the conclusion of the 2015 NHL season.

After the failure to secure funding to build his ambitious Lighthouse Project on the grounds of the New York Islanders traditional of suburban Nassau County Wang found what seemed like the best fit at the time.

It still seems like the best fit considering what the Isles were looking for. But as the Isles made the move we quickly saw that this wasn’t going to work between the Isles and the Barclays Center.

No Further Ahead

And now, five years later here we are and the New York Islanders are all in on Belmont. Not the Barclays Center. The arena they currently call home. They’re all in on a new piece of land that they have yet to actually secure.

Five years ago Charles Wang proclaimed:

"“Our goal from the outset was to have the Islanders play in a local, world-class facility that possesses the amenities our fans deserve. I’m happy to announce we achieve that goal with today’s announcement.”"

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Brooklyn is ‘local’, sure. Check. The Barclays Center is brand-new. Which in PR language equals world-class facility. So. Ok. That’s a second check. But, “possesses amenities our fans deserve”? Not only do the fans deserve better but so do the players.

And for that reason, the New York Islanders are ready to jump ship as soon as humanly possible. And why this isn’t a happy anniversary. It’s a sober reflection of where this team is five years after a franchise-altering announcement. At the same place.

We’re still talking about the New York Islanders one day playing in a local world-class facility that possesses the amenities that we the fans and the players deserve. It’s been five years and we’ve made no progress on that front.

Next: Brock Nelson Is Increasing His Trade Value

Anniversaries are generally supposed to be happy. A celebration of a milestone. Not a sober reflection that leads to an existential crisis.

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