The Atlantic 10 Conference will shift its postseason basketball tournament to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn beginning in 2013, multiple league sources confirmed to SNY.tv.
A press conference is set for 12:30 p.m. Wednesday featuring A10 Commissioner Bernadette McGlade; Rhode Island coach and Brooklyn native Jim Baron; Fordham coach Tom Pecora; and Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark.
“I think that venue would be great for the league, and could be a platform for several talented players to shine in the best city in the world,” one A-10 assistant coach told SNY.tv.
Meantime, the Nets announced Monday that they will become the Brooklyn Nets when they move to the facility from New Jersey for the 2012-13 season.
“From the moment the Barclays Center became a reality, I knew this meant something significant for Brooklyn,” Nets co-owner JAY-Z said. “This is where I’m from, I’ll always be Brooklyn, and opening this arena will mean more to me than anywhere else. I also look forward to opening night for the Brooklyn Nets. We’re going to create an atmosphere like only Brooklyn can.”
The Barclays could also host the Big East or ACC Tournaments after 2016 once the Big East’s deal with Madison Square Garden expires.
ACC Commissioner John Swofford said he would be interested in holding the league’s postseason tournament in New York after Pittsburgh and Syracuse join the league.
Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim also added that he could envision the ACC Tournament at the Garden on occasion.
“I think it’ll come to New York…but I don’t think it’s something that’s going to happen a lot,” he told SNY.
Big East Commissioner John Marinatto countered Swofford’s statement by jokingly telling the New York Times that they might hold their conference tournament in Greensboro, N.C., a frequent site of the ACC Tournament.
“We have a track record of coming out stronger than we did before,” Marinatto said, referring the ACC’s raid of Miami, Boston College and Virginia Tech in 2003. “We may even hold the opening round of our basketball tournament in Greensboro.”
Andy Katz of ESPN.com first reported the news about the A-10 tourney moving to Brooklyn.
