Upcoming NBA Draft returning to Prudential Center

NEWARK, N.J. -- Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., has been selected to host the 2012 NBA Draft, scheduled for June 28, 2012. This marks the second straight year that Newark will host the event, which will be televised live on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET.

"We are pleased the Draft is returning to the City of Newark," said NBA Commissioner David Stern. "Prudential Center is state-of-the-art, and we look forward to working with city officials and the arena's staff to produce another memorable event for our fans."

"Since the opening of the Prudential Center in 2007, Newark has established itself as an all-American sports city and a premier center for basketball," said Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker. "Newark has hosted the New Jersey Nets, Seton Hall Pirates, the WNBA Liberty, last year's March Madness and now, for the second year in a row, we will welcome the excitement and energy of the NBA Draft. The world is recognizing that 'Newark's got game!'"

"We are excited to have the NBA Draft back in Newark and at Prudential Center," said Jeff Vanderbeek, Chairman and Managing Partner Devils Arena Entertainment. "Hosting such a prestigious event for the second consecutive year is further testament to success of last year's draft and the popularity of the Rock."

The NBA Draft became a public event in 1979, and was held in various venues in New York City through 1991. It was held in Portland in 1992, followed by Detroit (1993), Indianapolis (1994), Toronto (1995), East Rutherford, N.J. (1996), Charlotte (1997), Vancouver (1998), Washington D.C. (1999) and Minneapolis (2000). The NBA Draft returned to New York City from 2001 to 2010, before moving to Prudential Center in 2011.

Prudential Center opened in October, 2007 and is the first new arena built in the New Jersey, New York Metropolitan area in more than 25 years. The Rock is home to the three-time Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils, Seton Hall NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball, the NBA's NETS Basketball, the WNBA's New York Liberty and, in 2011, the NBA Draft and the NCAA East Regional Finals. Prudential Center now ranks tenth overall in the highest grossing arenas worldwide for 2011, according to leading industry publication Venues Today.