The Islanders "are bound to play the majority of games
at the [Nassau] Coliseum" or its 35-year TV deal with
Cablevision "is void," according to sources of Marc Berman
of the N.Y. POST. When co-Owners Howard Milstein and Steven
Gluckstern paid $195M for the Islanders last February, $110M
of it "accounted for the lush cable deal." Islanders
President David Seldin would not discuss the contract, only
saying that "the Isles should not have to abide" by their
current lease at the Coliseum. Berman adds that if the NHL
finds the Coliseum to be unsafe in its inspection report,
the Cablevision deal "would likely be superseded," but NHL
Commissioner Gary Bettman "plans to order the Islanders back
to the Coliseum" if it is deemed safe. Berman adds that the
leading candidate to host the Isles' home opener on October
10 is the Continental Airlines Arena (N.Y. POST, 9/16). In
Hartford, John Altavilla writes that the NHL contacted the
Hartford Civic Center and New Haven Coliseum requesting
availability. Hartford has three dates to offer the league,
while the New Haven Coliseum "could accommodate seven
Islanders games" (HARTFORD COURANT, 9/16).
