T-shirts for $150, VIP areas everywhere, Iker Casillas as a special guest and Jay-Z as a musical and cultural symbol. The Brooklyn Nets don’t let you get bored at the Barclays Center.
What if you brought the Isotopes to Springfield? The New Jersey Nets tried it on a small scale in 2012. The New York franchise, now located on the other side of the Hudson River after packing its bags and being renamed the Brooklyn Nets, is the eighth most valuable company in the entire NBA, worth almost 5 billion euros, according to Forbes magazine .
Despite having a giant like the New York Knicks within striking distance and not being a candidate for the championship this season, Jordi Fernández’s team filled the Barclays Center to the rafters and gathered 17,926 spectators in their opening victory against the Bucks. “Brooklyn is our first market with 35% of fans, but New Jersey continues to be very important with 20% of fans in the Barclays Center. International visits occupy a similar level,” explained the franchise officials to Confidencial in New York .
To win favour with Brooklynites, the Nets marketed themselves as an expansion team, which alienated the existing fan base, according to Rick Laughland, author of A History of the Nets: From Teaneck to BrooklynHowever, the potential market in Brooklyn is now 2.7 million people , and the distance to the arena has only increased by about 30 minutes.
An (almost) glorious experience
The move meant that the stands were filled even more thanks to the better position in the theme park that is New York. The NBA is a money-making machine, especially thanks to the new contract for television rights , and the Brooklyn Nets are part of a planet where the battery of stimuli offered to fans is unlimited.
Official player jerseys go for as much as $150 at the Brooklyn Nets store , the VIP areas are endless (you can watch the players walk out onto the court from one of them), with multiple food options – I don’t recommend trying the paella – and there are various tiers. There are even premium T-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets and polos designed with the help of some players like Nic Claxton.
For this reason, the local public comes to the arena earlier to eat and drink, thus stimulating the circulation of money. In addition, fans can consume beer in the stands, something prohibited in Spain (not so in the VIP areas , where the bustle of alcoholic drinks is common). Spanish stadiums have been pursuing for years what NBA franchises achieved decades ago: the use of the stadium beyond the day of the match.
Sometimes sport is the least important thing
Although the Barclays Center was built to host basketball games, it has been used for a variety of purposes, including hockey games. This is why artists and bands such as Elton John, Iron Maiden and KISS have performed at the Barclays Center in recent times. The New York arena has not only hosted top-level concerts, but also sporting events such as WrestleMania and the boxing match between García and Porter.
Fan activation and identification begins as soon as they enter the arena. It is no coincidence that coach Jordi Fernández talks about implementing Brooklyn grit , something like trying to instill the competitive spirit characteristic of the place in his team. In addition, the music of Jay-Z , one of the most famous American rappers in the world and born in Brooklyn, fills the stands. And in the restaurants and bars you can drink a beer personalized by the Brooklyn Nets.
The franchise gives away a commemorative jersey to all those who decided to go to the stadium, who dance when the camera focuses on them. Others skip the game and watch it on television while they go shopping or buy food and drinks. The musical and artistic performances are continuous from the opening anthem to the end, including half-time and time-outs. The noise is deafening. It seems impossible to get bored during an NBA game because of the amount of stimulation they throw at the fans. The show is not only on the court and that is why the NBA is another world.