Barclays Center facts for kids
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Barclays Center (2025)
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 Barclays Center
Location in New York City
Barclays Center
Location in New York
Barclays Center
Location in the United States
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| Address | 620 Atlantic Avenue |
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| Location | Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 40°40′57.58″N 73°58′30.81″W / 40.6826611°N 73.9752250°W |
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| Owner | Empire State Development (State of New York) via Brooklyn Arena Local Development Corporation |
| Operator | BSE Global / ASM Global |
| Capacity | Basketball: 17,732 Ice hockey: 15,795 Concerts: 17,000 Boxing/Wrestling/MMA: 16,000 Tidal Theater: Approx. 6,000 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | March 11, 2010 |
| Opened | September 21, 2012 |
| Construction cost | US$1 billion ($1.27 billion in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | AECOM (Ellerbe Becket) SHoP Architects |
| Project manager | Forest City Ratner Companies |
| Structural engineer | Thornton Tomasetti |
| Services engineer | WSP Flack + Kurtz |
| General contractor | Hunt Construction Group |
| Tenants | |
| Brooklyn Nets (NBA) 2012–present New York Liberty (WNBA) 2021–present LIU Sharks (NCAA) 2012–present New York Islanders (NHL) 2015–2020 Long Island Nets (NBA D-League) 2016–2017 New York Mavericks (PBR) 2024 |
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Barclays Center is a large indoor stadium in Brooklyn, New York. It's a busy place, home to the Brooklyn Nets basketball team (NBA) and the New York Liberty basketball team (WNBA). Besides sports, it hosts many concerts, shows, and other fun events. You can find it in the Pacific Park area, right next to a major subway and train station.
The arena first opened its doors on September 28, 2012. A British bank called Barclays bought the rights to have their name on the building. The State of New York owns the arena through a public group, and a company called BSE Global manages its daily operations.
The idea for the arena started in 2004 when a developer named Bruce Ratner bought the Nets basketball team. He wanted to build a new home for them in Brooklyn. However, building the arena faced many challenges. Some local residents were against it, and there were concerns about its impact on the environment. A big economic downturn also made it hard to get money for the project. Because of these issues, construction was delayed until 2010. The arena finally opened on September 21, 2012, with a Jay-Z concert being its first big event a week later.
Contents
Building the Barclays Center
Bringing Major Sports Back to Brooklyn
The idea for Barclays Center came from Bruce Ratner, a real estate developer. He bought the New Jersey Nets basketball team in 2004. His goal was to move the team to Brooklyn, making the new arena the center of a big development project called Pacific Park. This move was exciting because it brought major league sports back to Brooklyn for the first time since the Dodgers baseball team left in 1957.
Overcoming Challenges and Delays
The arena was first expected to open in 2006. But many problems caused delays. Local residents had concerns, and there were legal battles over using private land for the project. A big economic slowdown also made it difficult to get enough money. At one point, even the architect, Frank Gehry, thought the project might not happen.
However, things started to change in 2009. A Russian businessman, Mikhail Prokhorov, invested $200 million to become a main owner of the Nets and help fund the arena. Courts also ruled in favor of the project, allowing it to move forward.
Construction Begins and Opening Day
With legal issues resolved, construction officially began on March 11, 2010. Workers poured the first concrete in June 2010 and started building upwards in November 2010. The arena was completed on January 12, 2012, and opened to the public on September 21, 2012.
The Islanders' Time in Brooklyn
On October 24, 2012, the New York Islanders hockey team announced they would move to Barclays Center in 2015. The arena was designed for both basketball and hockey, but it was mainly built for basketball. This meant that for hockey games, some seats had
obstructed views, and the ice quality was sometimes an issue. The Islanders played their first NHL game there in September 2013. After a few years, due to these problems, the team started looking for a new home and eventually moved to UBS Arena in 2021.
New Ownership and the Liberty Team
In September 2019, Joe Tsai became the full owner of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center. He also bought the New York Liberty WNBA team in 2019 and moved them to Barclays Center in 2020.
Arena Design and Features
A Unique Look for Brooklyn
Barclays Center was designed by SHoP Architects. The outside of the arena has a special look with 12,000 steel panels that are meant to remind people of Brooklyn's famous brownstone buildings. There's also a large, eye-shaped opening called an "oculus" above the main entrance plaza. This oculus has a display screen that shows videos and information.
Inside the Arena
Inside, the arena has special lighting for Nets basketball games that makes the court stand out like a stage. The Nets' basketball court also has a cool herringbone (zigzag) pattern.
Easy to Get To
Unlike many other big stadiums, Barclays Center doesn't have its own large parking lot. This is because it's super easy to reach by public transport! It's right next to the Atlantic Terminal for the Long Island Rail Road and the Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center subway station, where many subway lines stop. There are also several bus routes that go there.
Special Loading Docks
Because the area is so busy, the arena has a unique way for trucks and buses to enter. They use two large elevators that lower vehicles 34 feet below the street into a loading area. Then, a giant turntable spins the vehicles into position for unloading!
Art at the Arena
The building features a huge mural called Diary of Brooklyn by artist José Parlá. It's 10 feet wide and 70 feet tall! The painting is full of words and phrases like "immigration" and "Brooklyn is," celebrating the language and culture of Brooklyn.
Naming the Arena
On January 18, 2007, it was announced that the arena would be named Barclays Center. This was after the London-based banking group Barclays agreed to pay a large sum of money for the naming rights over 20 years. Even though Barclays doesn't have many banks in the US, their name is proudly displayed on the arena.
Exciting Events at Barclays Center
Basketball Games
The first NBA game at Barclays Center was a preseason game on October 15, 2012, between the Nets and the Washington Wizards. The first regular-season NBA game was on November 3, 2012, when the Nets beat the Toronto Raptors.
Barclays Center has hosted the NBA draft almost every year since 2013, where new players are chosen by teams. It also hosted the exciting NBA All-Star Weekend in 2015.
The New York Liberty WNBA team played their first game at Barclays Center on May 14, 2021. The arena was also the site where the Liberty won their first WNBA championship in Game 5 of the 2024 WNBA Finals!
College Basketball Action
Many college basketball events have taken place at the arena. It hosts several early-season tournaments like the Barclays Center Classic. The LIU Sharks men's basketball team has also used it as an alternate home arena. The Atlantic 10 Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference have held their men's basketball tournaments here. In 2016, Barclays Center hosted games for the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament for the first time, bringing thrilling college matchups to Brooklyn.
Hockey Games
The New York Islanders played their first NHL hockey game at Barclays Center in a preseason match on September 21, 2013. Their first regular-season game was on October 9, 2015, against the Chicago Blackhawks. The arena also saw exciting Stanley Cup playoffs games, including a memorable game in 2016 where the Islanders won their first playoff series since 1993. The Islanders played their last game at Barclays Center on March 3, 2020, before moving to their new home.
Other Sports and Entertainment
- Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts: Many big boxing matches and UFC events have been held here.
- Gymnastics: The Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions visited in 2016.
- Music Concerts: Besides countless concerts, Barclays Center hosted the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards and the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards, bringing the famous show to Brooklyn.
- Professional Wrestling: The arena has been a popular spot for WWE wrestling events, including Tables, Ladders, and Chairs, WWE Raw episodes, and several SummerSlam weekends. It also hosted events for WrestleMania 35.
- Esports: Video game competitions like ESL One New York and the Grand Finals for the Overwatch League have taken place here.
- Bull Riding: In 2024, the New York Mavericks, a professional bull riding team, called Barclays Center their home for a season.
- Commencement Ceremonies: Since 2017, Brooklyn College has held its graduation ceremonies at Barclays Center, including its 100th annual commencement in May 2025.
Important Issues
Early Legal Challenges
During its construction, Barclays Center faced several lawsuits. These were mainly from local residents who were concerned about the project's impact on their community and the use of private land. However, the courts eventually ruled in favor of the state, allowing the project to continue.
Hockey Venue Concerns
When the New York Islanders played at Barclays Center, some fans complained about the arena. Since it wasn't originally designed for hockey, some seats had
obstructed views of the ice. There were also concerns about the quality of the ice itself during games. These issues were a big reason why the Islanders eventually moved to a new arena.
Images for kids
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Panorama of Barclays Center
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Barclays Center
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Barclays Center as seen on 2 May 2025 near subway station entrance
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See also
In Spanish: Barclays Center para niños
