Islanders leaving Barclays Center?

Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg News reports that the Islanders love affair with Barclays Center is over, that the NHL team will be looking for a new home after three years of bad ice, obstructed seats and poor sightlines in general.

The decision, reports Soshnick, is Mikhail Prokhorov’s.

After two years and countless complaints, Brooklyn’s Barclays Center has concluded it’s no longer worth it to host the New York Islanders...

Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, who owns the building and the Nets, has since November been seeking an investor to take a stake in both. As of earlier this month, a financial projection shared with potential investors showed the Islanders won’t contribute any revenue after the 2018-19 season -- a clear signal that the team won’t play there, the people said.

NetsDaily can confirm that Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment has been considering a split for months. How soon will they leave? Soshnick reports ...

The lease can be terminated by either the Islanders or arena management. If the team cancels, it can leave after next season. If Barclays Center nixes the deal, then the Islanders’ tenancy would end after the 2018-19 season. Then the question becomes: Where will the Islanders play?

The Islanders new owners have hinted they would be willing to build a new arena in Queens, but most experts believe that the New York market is so saturated with entertainment venues that a new arena would be a no-go economically.

Could the Islanders move back to the renovated Nassau Coliseum. As part of that arena’s renovation, the number of seats have been dramatically reduced to a level, 13,000, that would not be economically viable, but Nassau County executive Edward Mangano said there is a “path” available. Nassau is also owned by Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment.

Over the weekend, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman hinted at a split.

“They’re committed to the franchise, they’re committed to New York and the great fan base that has followed the Islanders,” Bettman said, referring to Scott Malkin and Jon Ledecky, the Isles new owner.

One reason the Islanders would prefer to stay in New York is their lucrative local TV rights deal with Cablevision, which extends through 2032.

• Brooklyn’s Barclays Center Is Dumping the Islanders - Scott Soshnick - Bloomberg News
• Islanders discussed possible Coliseum return, Mangano says - Robert Brodsky - Newsday
• Islanders fans deserve better than this musical chairs from hell - Larry Brooks - New York Post
• Islanders skating backwards - Editorial - New York Daily News
• Barclays ready to say ‘Isle be seeing you’ - John Torenli - Brooklyn Eagle