The New York Islanders moved to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn this year, and while the move has brought the team to an updated arena with new amenities and (it has to be said) climbing attendance, the arena wasn’t completely built with hockey in mind. Because of that, there are several seats with obstructed views in the arena, seats that have been largely derided by fans.
Barclays Center and the Islanders are still selling these seats, though. In an interview with Sports Illustrated this week, Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark had an opportunity to deftly handle the issue of obstructed seats, perhaps offering an olive branch to fans who had purchased these seats, or offer ideas about how this situation could be remedied in the future.
He did none of those things. He told fans with obstructed views to watch the game on their cell phone.
Our seating capacity is over 15,700. Within that capacity there’s a lot of great seats. Do we have some obstructed seats? Yes we do. Are fans aware of those obstructed seats before they purchase them? Yes they are. There’s really nothing we’re going to do from a capital improvement standpoint. You can watch the game on your mobile device. The game is on the scoreboard. There are many ways to view the game if you’re in one of those obstructed seats. We aren’t going to be able to change the seats in the building. That is what it is. But there are certainly other ways we can enhance the experience.
While I guess pragmatic and honest, Yormark’s answer comes across as tone deaf and insensitive. He’s basically saying If you’re stupid enough to purchase these tickets, that’s on you. Also, any time you’re answering a question with the phrase “capital improvement standpoint,” you’re going to come across looking like a jerk. Those words have never been uttered by anyone not wearing a very expensive suit (or trying to impress someone wearing a very expensive suit).
A new stadium with obstructed views is really unbelievable. I know Fenway has some odd seats that don't face the field plus obstructed seats but that place is 600 years old.
I think I saw on a 30 for 30 that the new Yankees stadium has obstruction in some of the right field seats. Won some tickets to a NASCAR event once. The tickets were inside the track, and we could only see the first turn. That was screwed up.
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or they did for sometime last year, by the way never go to an Islanders game
