Nets Officials Indicate Team May Temporarily Move To Newark

Nets Could Move To Newark As Early As Next Season

The Nets are "considering playing their regular season home games at the Prudential Center in Newark while a new arena is being built for them in Brooklyn," according to team officials cited by Dave D'Alessandro of the Newark STAR-LEDGER. After "drawing large crowds for two preseason games in Newark" this month, the Nets are "warming to the idea of spending a few years at the Prudential Center as long as they can get out of their lease at the Meadowlands without having to pay" an $8M penalty. The team currently plays at Izod Center and has said that it "will remain there until the move to Brooklyn, which could come as early as the 2011-12 season." But a "number of other officials indicated the Nets have softened to the idea of making the temporary move to the Prudential Center as long as the state waives the penalty the team would have to pay to break its lease at the Izod Center." Nets officials said that a "temporary move to Newark could happen as early as next season." Still, Nets officials said that team Owner Bruce Ratner is "reluctant to leave the Izod Center because a move to Newark could undermine the Brooklyn plans and give New York officials the impression they're playing one side against the other." D'Alessandro notes Ratner still "needs to break ground for the Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn before the end of the year to beat a Dec. 31 [IRS] deadline for the issuance of tax-exempt bonds that will be used to fund construction costs" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 10/22).

GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION: In N.Y., DeMarche & Calder cite a source as saying that prospective Nets Owner Mikhail Prokhorov "won over many NBA owners last night at The St. Regis hotel in Midtown during his first meeting with league brass about his plans to buy" an 80% stake in the Nets. The source said, "Everyone seemed excited over the love he has of basketball and the unlimited amount of money he can inject into the game. He can also do a lot to boost the presence of Eastern European talent in the league." DeMarche & Calder note a formal vote on Prokhorov's ownership "has yet to be set, but league owners will meet again today" (N.Y. POST, 10/22). Meanwhile, the STAR-LEDGER's D'Alessandro notes three of Prokhorov's associates -- Onexim CEO Dmitry Razumov, Deputy CEO Christophe Charlier and attorney Todd Schafer -- "got a tour of the Prudential Center before" last night's Knicks-Nets game (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 10/22).