Saturday's Devils-Islanders preseason game at Barclays Center will mark the NHL's first visit to Brooklyn, and "most eyes around the NHL will be focused on the audience, and the first test of how the league might go over in downtown Trendyville," according to Neil Best of NEWSDAY. Nets and Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark said that "all signs so far point to pretty darn good." He added that ticket sales have "been 'terrific,' with about 11,000 of the 15,813 seats sold and more expected during the week." Best notes the game "will not be televised, but it will be streamed on NewYorkIslanders.com and BarclaysCenter.com." There are "11 different ticket prices" for the game, ranging from $19.85 to $307.30. So far, 25% of ticket buyers "have been from Brooklyn," with 18.9% from Nassau County and 13% from Suffolk. Yormark said, "I'm very excited about the number from Brooklyn. It means hockey has a bit of a foundation here in the borough and they're excited about the ultimate arrival of the Islanders." He said that he and his team have been "using the lessons they learned from the Nets' multiyear transition from New Jersey to Brooklyn in planning the Islanders' move." Best notes the next two seasons will involve "building the brand in Brooklyn with, among other things, more community outreach and some cross-promotion with the Nets, including perhaps partial plans that include both teams' games" (NEWSDAY, 9/17).
