A Brooklyn developer has reached an agreement to buy the New Jersey Nets. If it's approved by the board of YankeeNets (which is dissolving) he plans to move them to a new arena in Brooklyn.

This looks like it is seriously happening according to ESPNEWS. This could create a major inner-city rivalry with the very cool Knicks :cool: and those scummy Nets . This will be good for both teams.

The only teams that have managed to thrive in New Jersey are the football teams. The Devils have been very successful, winning 3 Stanley Cups in recent years. There are more people at Civil War veterans reunions than at Devils games.

The Nets have made two straight NBA Finals and their attendance is terrible. Considering what ownership has done to build a winning team they ahve every right to move the team to where they believe it will be more profitable and succcessful. An inner city hoops rivalry can only be a good thing.

Great move for the Nets. Even better for Brooklyn. Talking about a subway series...

Flatbush and Atlantic will never be the same!

~Adam

New team name?

Why, the Brooklyn Sweathogs, of course.

Born in the 70's or (gulp) the 80's, and don't get this? Ask your momma and poppa.

Though I realize you're making a joke, Skiguy, history teaches us there's no need for the Nets to change their name. The Dodgers kept their name even though there are no trolleys to dodge here in LA and the Lakers are still the Lakers, even though they moved from the land of the 10,000 lakes. And don't get me started on the oddity that is the Utah Jazz!

~Adam

[ January 22, 2004, 05:42 PM: Message edited by: Adam ]

I wonder if they'll just go back to being the New York Nets or will they actually refer to them as "Brooklyn"?

Honestly Im wondering if they will have any fans at all when they do move...and thats a big if too...since there are many stumbling blocks that have to be overcome for the move to actually take place. NYC is Knicks country period. New Yorkers dont care for the Nets and I doubt that moving them to Brooklyn which yes is not in Manhatten will do much for them. Certainly the Nets are going to kiss goodbye pretty much all their loyalists from New Jersey who will not travel to Brooklyn to see them play.

I question how many loyal New Jersey fans there are to lose. Also, taking the name Brooklyn Nets, IMHO, would promote civic pride in a fiercely proud borough, and I think would help them put fannies in the seats. Plus, for most New Yorkers without cars, getting to Brooklyn is less of a hassle than getting out to the Meadowlands. And I'm guessing they'll be able to get more companies in New York to buy up tickets to distribute as perks to people. Also, there is a Long Island Railroad station at the site of the new arena, if I'm not mistaken, making it easier for people to go to a game after work, and hop the train home like they normally would. A city this size should have no problem supporting two basketball teams.

There are a good core of Nets supporters. They almost certainly will not travel to Brooklyn due to the hassle to get there. New Yorkers were never Net fans before so I really dont think they are suddenly going to endorse them now. Remember the Nets did use to play in Long Island before and were an afterthought. The Knicks despite their woes are the only show in town and the Nets will be the ugly stepchild.

I haven't lived in New York in years, but I go back often and still love the Knicks. But, I think that one of the other places that the Brooklyn Nets could be counting on is the Staten Island crowd. Many have become Devils fans during the Rangers woes. I suspect many have become Nets fans during the Knicks woes. While it will be virtually impossible to steal any of the fans from Manhattan and the Bronx, I think that there are enough fair-weather Knicks fans (that probably have had a hell of time getting seats to the Garden anyway) in Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Long Island that may be able to fill up an arena. If the NBA can try twice to keep a team in much smaller Charlotte where there is very heavy competition of big-time college basketball, it is worth a try in Brooklyn.