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March 29, 2012
Watching the Nets in Newark: an inexpensive trip, but not necessarily a bargain
Atlantic Yards Report
Norman Oder takes a trip to Newark to get a little advance look at Your Brooklyn Nets.
Several news cycles ago, before the Howard discussion crested, and before (and after) the Linsanity hype, I traveled with a Brooklyn friend to the Prudential Center in Newark on Friday night February 3, when the Nets played the Minnesota Timberwolves. I do like basketball, and I wanted to see how things were going in Newark.
The game wasn't bad, and the tickets were cheap. I got two-for-one $30 seats, plus a $10 handling charge, for $40. But two $10 concession cards were thrown in. So each seat--decent but not great location-- essentially cost $10. For even less popular games, the cheapest seats have been available on StubHub for a penny, plus handling.
For a Brooklynite using public transit, I can't say the experience, even at the low prices, was really worth it. The trip takes a while. The team is uneven. And the relentless hype that characterizes the Brett Yormark Nets has been amped up another notch.
...The Nets' new announcer, David Diamante, was suitably energized when the home team scored and studiously neutral when announcing, say, the name of an opposing player who just hit a three.
And while it's understandable that the public address system shows replays of excellent home team plays, it's annoying that arena-goers--unlike those watching on TV--could not get a replay of a great play by the visitors.
Diamante sounded especially smooth when he announced the Nets Dancers. Was I hearing a tiny trace of his experience DJing at strip clubs?
Posted by eric at March 29, 2012 9:59 AM