In a shopping mall? Any parade most likely will be held where it was the last time the Devils won the Stanley Cup: the arena parking lot. Devils defenseman Ken Daneyko says he doesn't know where the parade should be held, but he knows this much: "That's such a nice problem to have. The building is surrounded by expressways and surface parking. There is no adjoining neighborhood and no ambience around the facility whatsoever - just pavement.
The building itself still looks somewhat futuristic and modern, with the corporate name emblazoned across the roof and a tall dot matrix marquee along the highway.
If you enter at the ground level where the ticket offices are, there you will find a handsome display of the New Jersey Sports Hall of Fame.
The wide single concourse which surrounds the building is all skylit to the outside, providing ample natural light during the day. Concession stands and merchandise venues are very bright and attractive. Premium Seats Being an 80's arena, there are no club seats, but there are some suites at the top of the level.
The Bowl The arena bowl is broken into two levels, both accessed from the single concourse. A four sided scoreboard with video boards is in the center, and there are four additional video boards hanging from the rafters in each corner. In each end zone are two huge dot matrix boards, and along the balcony are small information boards for out of town scores, shots on goal, etc.
From a distance this information was hard to see. The bowl itself is vertical and cavernous, and does not lend itself to an intimate feel at all, especially with oceans of empty seats at the Nets game the Devils game was a sellout. Concessions The best item we could find was the hand carved sirloin and turkey sandwiches. The Nets have 5 retired numbers and two ABA titles.. Deductions We will try to keep this short The ushers would not let us pass..
We did manage to take our photos after the game, only after some skullduggery on our part to get downstairs for our shots, and as we were finishing up, we caught the sight of a security guard and two ushers from the corner of our eyes, converging on us as they were talking into their walkie talkies.
We hightailed it out of there fast! Our suggestion to the New Jersey Nets is this That would complete the scene nicely. Things that Caught our Eye - in each section there is an alcove leading to the bowl.
Outfitted in every alcove is a television monitor mounted from the ceiling. Fans returning to their seats and waiting for a whistle miss nothing. Nice, nice touch! We are amazed that we have not seen this done anywhere else.
In the skit we saw during a media timeout, Sly was in a shopping mall pretending to be a mannequin. Every time a child or a teenager ventured closeby he lunged after the kid. The fans were in stitches! Allen Funt would have been proud.
Sly's House. Sly has a set out in the concourse. Children can line up and have their picture taken during halftime. Nice photo op for the fans. Summary This arena is a classic example of what was expected of a sports facility during the time that it was built. Number one, to get fans into the building and into their seats to watch an event and give them the ability to purchase basic necessities such as concessions, souvenirs etc.. Unlike today's more modern facilities that offer a more complete interactive entertainment and shopping experience.
Number two, the in-house revenue is to come from those who buy tickets to watch from the main seating areas. While today we see more and more of an emphasis on club seating almost non-existent at the time and many more suites all with its amenities in seat customer service, opportunities for fine dining and the like Finally, the idea that an arena is simply a structure and the main event being held within its confines is the attraction.
Unlike today in which the newer facilities are as much a part of the experience as the events themselves. There is talk about a new building here, but it will be a while yet before a shovel goes into the ground. Such a move would include renovations to the aging arena in the Meadowlands that has already lost the Devils to Newark. Goldberg said there have been no discussions about any proposal with anyone in the Ratner organization. He declined to discuss more details. Nets chief executive Brett Yormark said the team isn't interested in any proposal to keep the team in New Jersey.
Some financial experts and state and city officials who have heard the developer's private pleas for more government aid say the failing economy and frozen credit markets has created a far bleaker picture for the project, called Atlantic Yards. Earlier this month, a self-imposed deadline came and went for Ratner's investment banker Goldman Sachs, which publicly promised to have a financing secured by Oct. That followed another setback days earlier, when Ratner said ongoing legal disputes had again pushed back the groundbreaking for the arena.
Originally slated to open in , and most recently in , the Nets' new home will now not be ready before Twenty events took place at the Izod Center last month, including seven concerts and multiple-night family shows such as the Tour of Gymnastics Superstars and Walking with Dinosaurs. Sports authority officials said the Meadowlands arena has featured more than events - a typical number for the facility - since Prudential Center opened 12 miles away just over a year ago. The Prudential Center played host to nearly as many events in that span - backing up the sports authority's previous claims that the addition of a second North Jersey arena would lead to expanded entertainment opportunities in the region, and not a dividing up of a similar number of events.
The Prudential Center, which opened in Newark in October , did not make the list. The magazine found that the Meadowlands arena, originally named for former Gov. The figures don't include regular tenants, such as the Nets at Izod Center and the Devils at Prudential.
Paul Sarlo. DiVincenzo said gross revenues aren't the most important factor in determining an arena's viability.
You can't renovate an old building and make it look like new, plus let's look at who is paying for the renovations. The sports authority board members enjoyed the Billboard results even as they were voting to approve a modest budget reflecting the current economic environment. A hiring freeze was put into effect for Most of the drop in comes from declining revenue at the Meadowlands Racetrack and Monmouth Park. The addition of gaming at Maryland racetracks - following in the footsteps of Delaware, New York, and Pennsylvania - could make it even more difficult for New Jersey to continue to offer competitive purses.
Nets CEO Brett Yormark would neither confirm nor deny the discussions, but he strongly implied such an arrangement could be feasible for his team. The discussions between Yormark and the Devils owner began at least one week ago, and whether this represents a sea change in the Nets' thinking about the viability of eventually moving to Newark - should the Atlantic Yards project fall through - is being discussed throughout the organization. The Nets have played at Izod Center since Yormark recently extolled the relationship his team has with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, but reiterated that the team can never get in the black if they play in a facility with only 28 luxury suites.
The general feeling is that the Nets do not want to be a second tenant in someone else's building, while the Devils most likely would not be interested in sharing ownership of the Prudential Center. But Yormark also left open the door to dipping his toe in the Newark waters simply by stating that newer is better: "We love our relationship with the NJSEA, they partner with us in every aspect of that building - from the lounges to the LEDs illuminated ad boards to everything we've done there," Yormark said.
The two buildings are eight miles apart. The building is now run by AEG. Because one entity would be responsible for booking both venues, the NJSEA would have an incentive to keep both buildings healthy. It would also end price-cutting and bickering between the two venues. Booker sent a letter to Gov.
Jon Corzine asking him to veto the measure and to reduce competition with the newer Prudential Center in Newark or to close the Izod Center entirely. He also suggested that Corzine pressure the NBA Nets to locate in Newark if their plans for a new project in Brooklyn fail to come to fruition.
Since the Newark arena opened 18 months ago, it has been locked in a bitter competition with Izod for the same lucrative rock concerts, ice-skating shows, and family extravaganzas like the circus. Booker and other city leaders argue the state should put its full force behind Prudential, where the NHL Devils are based.
Corzine and Meadowlands supporters say the region can support two facilities, even if the Nets go to Brooklyn and leave Izod, formerly Continental Airlines Arena, without a major-league sports franchise. John Samerjan, a spokesman for the sports authority, downplayed the significance of reports about the renovation. He said they "related to some conceptual ideas about the future of Izod Center.
That's all they are. The Izod Center is currently the fourth-highest- grossing arena in the country and in order to maintain it, the authority properly looks at ideas for its upkeep and upgrade. There are no current plans for a significant upgrade to Izod Center. Though independent, it is controlled ultimately by the governor who appoints most of the agency's board members and has the authority to approve or veto agency actions.
NJSEA officials said they were disappointed at the comments, especially after talks with Vanderbeek who indicated them he wanted to work together. Vanderbeek said those figures are based on an overly generous set of accounting figures, including a failure to fully factor in administrative expenses.
In an interview with the Bergen Record's editorial board, Vanderbeek reportedly said he was only marginally interested in hosting the NBA Nets which now play at the Izod Center and are hoping to move to a new arena in Brooklyn. The Devil's financial experts are "about " on whether the added revenues and public attention for the arena from Nets games would offset losing some flexibility for the Devils on desirable weekend home dates, Vanderbeek said. He said the uncertain fate of the Nets has allowed state officials to postpone making a decision on Izod's future.
The monopoly on North Jersey arena offerings would bring the Devils from a loss of a few million dollars annually to around break-even or better, Vanderbeek estimated, depending on postseason success and ticket sales.
There reportedly have been preliminary discussions with some investors viewed as potential buyers, but the extent and seriousness of the talks were not clear. Nets ownership said they are seeking investors, not buyers, and have fielded all inquiries. The Nets have reduced their office workforce by approximately 25 percent. Most non-basketball employees have faced Friday furloughs in the summer, reducing their pay by 20 percent. Assistant coaches accepted significant pay cuts in order to keep all of them employed - rather than see one lose his job, the four remaining assistants on coach Lawrence Frank's staff agreed to salary reductions equal to the cost of one salary.
Member units are four classifications of units with different priorities in distribution and capital funding requirements. The figures were part of a filing by Forest City Enterprises which is the parent firm of the Nets.
Marketing costs were reduced and depreciation was accelerated. Details about the team's naming rights agreement with Barclays Services Corp. The report says the naming rights deal "expires on June 30 following the twentieth anniversary of the opening date of the arena Carl Goldberg, chairman of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, and Jerry Zaro - Governor Jon Corzine's economic czar - confirmed that they have been meeting for four months, at Corzine's insistence, with Devils chief owner Jeff Vanderbeek to complete such a deal.
Those talks also have included Nets chief executive Brett Yormark in recent weeks. According to the agreement terms, the Prudential Center was entitled to any revenue realized from events transferred from the Meadowlands to Newark, and was responsible for staffing and costs for shows held at the former Izod Center from Jan. When asked whether the authority is considering selling the building, the president said no decisions had been made yet.
Under the agreement with the authority, the Prudential Center agreed to host events that had been scheduled in the Meadowlands Arena after the closure date. Though most events were relocated to Newark, some remained at the arena after the vote to shut it — including those run by Feld Entertainment Inc. The authority later approved a settlement with FEI. American Dream says it will open in spring Download our apps and get alerts for local news, weather, traffic and more.
While the official name of the arena was "Brendan Byrne Arena," on television it was usually referred to as "The Meadowlands. Shortly after, the New Jersey Devils , relocated from Colorado , playing their first regular season game there on October 5, resulting in a 3—3 tie with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
As Continental Airlines Arena, it hosted the Final Four —the last Final Four to date that has been held in an arena specifically built for basketball. On May 5, , the Devils played their last game at the arena, losing 3—2 to the Ottawa Senators , eliminating them from the Eastern Conference semifinals 4—1.
Scott Gomez scored the final goal in the building. Following the Devils' final season at the arena in , Continental Airlines opted out of the naming rights agreement. A new agreement was made with Izod , a company, to rename the arena Izod Center. On February 18, , the Nets finalized a deal that would move them to the Prudential Center in Newark until the Barclays Center opens. On April 12, the Nets played their final game at the arena, a —95 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats , with Terrence Williams making the final basket scored on the court.
There are plans in place to downscale the Izod Center in conjunction with several developments, leaving much of the arena's future in doubt. In addition to the Devils and Seton Hall men's basketball teams moving to the Prudential Center in Newark and the construction of an alternative entertainment and shopping center on the Meadowlands grounds called American Dream Meadowlands , the Nets planned to relocate to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn , New York City.
In September , the Nets and the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority announced an extension of their lease to keep the team in the Meadowlands until , with a provision to leave as early as if the Brooklyn arena was completed.
It was reported that Ratner was seeking to sell the Nets, thus thwarting any possible move to Brooklyn. In October , a deal was brokered, for the Nets to play at the Prudential Center for two seasons, beginning in the —11 NBA season. The deal also included a partnership with the Prudential Center hosting sporting events Devils, Nets, Seton Hall , and the Izod Center handling concerts and family shows.
The two arenas proposed a joint venture, Jersey Presents LLC, to wrestle leverage from promoters who had been playing the two against each other. The arena has primarily served as a sports venue in its history. It was the home arena for the NHL's New Jersey Devils hockey franchise from to and the NCAA's Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball team from to as well as continuing to play host to various regular season men's college basketball, most recently on December 8, between Duke University and Temple University.
The Fordham Rams have taken over the former Nets' locker room and now use the arena as their secondary home. College basketball first arrived at the arena with the opening rounds of the NCAA basketball tournament. Seton Hall moved its Big East Conference men's basketball games to the arena for the — season, enhancing a tradition that would soon become rich. On eleven occasions —91, , , , , the arena hosted the semifinals and finals of the tournament's East Regional. Only Kansas City 's Municipal Auditorium , which hosted 13 regional finals from to , has hosted more.
One of the most memorable moments in the venue's history came on January 22, , when the " club" was formed. After New Jersey was hit with 20 inches of snow, only fans attended the Devils' 7—5 victory over the Calgary Flames. The New York Cosmos also used the arena to host indoor soccer games. On February 12, , the arena hosted Strikeforce: Fedor vs. The arena also hosted the NBA Finals. The parking lot of the Izod Center has also been the scene of the Devils' championship celebrations.
The arena has been a popular site for concerts, due to having been designed with acoustics in mind and to it having a lesser facility fee for artists than competing venues, such as Madison Square Garden.
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