It's official: Barclays Bank has bought naming rights to the Brooklyn Nets' future arena in the Atlantic Yards project. Naturally, there's a website: Barclays Center - Planned Home of the Nets. Cute how it says "Planned," right? And this map showing how all routes lead to the "Barclays Center" is pretty funny.
We noticed a few things on the site. Three Nets players were highlighted: Vince Carter, Nenad Krstic, and jersey-popping Richard Jefferson. There's a lot of "Barclays is proud to be part of Brooklyn's growth" blah blah and "Meet Barclays" but not much for Nets fans who stuck with them in NJ for decades. Oh, and Barclays says they are "funding the Nets-Barclays Sports Alliance" to "promote athletics, education and personal development among young people in Brooklyn." The alliance will first "repair and renovate basketball courts and other sports facilities throughout the borough."
For some critical perspectives on the Nets arena deal, here's Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn and the Atlantic Yards Report.
