Barclays Center

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The journey to Barclays Center began in 2004 when real estate developer Bruce Ratner purchased the New Jersey Nets for $300 million, aiming to move the team to Brooklyn as the centerpiece of the Pacific Park redevelopment. The project faced massive community resistance due to the use of eminent domain and the demolition of local businesses like Ward Bakery and Freddy's bar. Financing also dried up during the Great Recession, delaying construction until 2010. A major turning point came on December 16, 2009, when the New York Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the state using eminent domain. Shortly after, Russian businessman Mikhail Prokhorov agreed to a $200 million deal on May 15, 2009, becoming a principal owner. The arena topped out on January 12, 2012, and opened just months later. In 2019, Joe Tsai completed the acquisition of full ownership, purchasing the Nets and Barclays Center, followed by the Brooklyn Nets organization acquiring a controlling interest in the New York Liberty on June 6, 2019.

In Their Own Story

Construction officially began with a groundbreaking on March 11, 2010, after Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Abraham Gerges struck down property owner challenges. The first concrete was poured into the foundation on June 29, 2010, and vertical construction started on November 23, 2010. While originally projected to open in 2006, legal hurdles and economic slumps pushed the timeline back significantly. Even with a 20-year naming rights deal with Barclays Bank for $400 million signed in 2007 (later renegotiated to $200 million due to the economy), the path was difficult. The arena finally welcomed its first event, a Jay-Z concert, on September 28, 2012, attended by some 200 protesters. On October 24, 2012, the New York Islanders announced their move to the venue in 2015, though capacity issues led to poor sight lines for hockey fans and an eventual return to Nassau Coliseum starting in the 2018–19 season.

Reader's Guide

Visitors arrive at the Pacific Park complex next to the Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center subway station. For basketball games, the arena seats the Nets and Liberty; however, ticket sales for Liberty games were initially capped at about 8,000. The venue is managed by BSE Global, owned by Joseph Tsai, who also owns Brooklyn Event Center LLC. In July 2021, SeatGeek took over ticketing duties, ending the relationship with Ticketmaster, but this deal ended early in January 2023 due to technical issues, bringing Ticketmaster back for the 2023 New York Liberty season and events starting after January 14, 2023. The arena is known for hosting major concerts, passing Madison Square Garden as the highest-grossing venue in the US between November 1, 2012, and May 31, 2013. A renovation was announced in 2024, with Populous and Shawmut Design & Construction hired to design the project.

Did You Know?

• The arena's first event was a Jay-Z concert on September 28, 2012.
• Construction was delayed until 2010 due to the Great Recession and legal battles over eminent domain.
• Barclays Bank originally agreed to a naming rights deal worth approximately $350 million over 20 years (roughly $17.5 million/year) in 2007, not the often-cited $400 million figure.
• The New York Islanders played at Barclays Center from 2015 until the end of the 2017–18 season before returning to Nassau Coliseum for the 2018–19 season.
• Joe Tsai purchased full ownership of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center on September 18, 2019.