Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment CEO Brett Yormark said that he is "pleased" with the Islanders' inaugural season at Barclays Center, according to Vin Cherwoo of the AP. Yormark: "We've made great progress. We're excited about the future, we're excited about the playoffs. It's been a real positive first year." Cherwoo noted not every part of the move to Brooklyn from Nassau County "has gone smoothly." Some fans have "taken to social media to vent their frustration with various changes, and Yormark acknowledged arena management has been responsive to the complaints." There also has "been a lot of attention drawn to some of the arena's obstructed seats, and Yormark acknowledged he was surprised by the level of vitriol it generated." Yormark: "We're open and transparent. ... Why it became such an issue, I'm not sure." Yormark said that he has "not had any discussions about reconfiguring seats, but added there were studies done with engineers to understand what the possibilities are and the disruptions that would be involved." Yormark said that he brought in a "'hockey-centric' group" to "help with game-day presentations at the arena." There have been seven sellouts this season, and BS&E COO Fred Mangione said that attendance was up 35% over the past 10 games. Yormark: "I'm happy with the attendance. The building has looked much better. The vibe in the building has been much improved" (AP, 3/21). The Islanders are averaging 13,509 fans through March 21, down 11.1% compared to the same period last season at Nassau Coliseum. Barclays Center has a hockey capacity of 15,795, while Nassau Coliseum held 16,170 (THE DAILY).
