The Islanders will not be the only team playing hockey at Barclays Center this fall.
The arena announced its Brooklyn Hockey college hockey program earlier this week, touting a double-header that will feature Army against Bentley, and then Notre Dame versus UConn on Nov. 1.
The teams will change each year in what will become an annual event. Tickets go on sale for the inaugural edition sponsored by Play By Play Sports on May 1.
“We are thrilled to be launching Brooklyn Hockey, our college hockey programming platform, with a great double-header featuring teams from some of the best conferences in the sport,” said Barclays Center’s chief executive officer Brett Yormark in a press release.
Barclays Center has become a major destination for some of the nation’s best college basketball programs since it opened as the home of the Brooklyn Nets in 2012. Now it is looking to do the same with college hockey as it becomes the home of the New York Islanders for the 2015–16 season.
Both the Hockey East and Atlantic Hockey divisions, which have teams playing at the Nov. 1 event, are excited to be getting a chance to play in Brooklyn. The leagues’ commissioners see it as an excellent chance to grow the game.
“Hockey East is pleased to join with our friends in Atlantic Hockey and Play By Play Sports to bring this event to hockey fans at Barclays Center,” said Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna. “It worked out well that our two newest member institutions were able to participate in this inaugural event, and the Notre Dame-UConn hockey rivalry has already become one to watch.”
Barclays Center has already hosted the Islanders twice in exhibition games since the announcement of the move back in 2012. Adding college hockey makes the arena a bigger player in the sport and in college athletics.
“Barclays Center has become a must-play for major college basketball through our Brooklyn Hoops franchise, and hopefully soon the same will be true for our Brooklyn Hockey program,” Yormark said.
