Yormark, Calipari Announce Barclays Center Classic
November 16, 2011
BROOKLYN, N.Y.—Barclays Center announced today that it would host the inaugural Barclays Center Classic men's college basketball tournament, presented by Sheets™ Brand Energy Strips, which will feature the University of Kentucky vs. the University of Maryland on November 9, 2012. This will be the first college basketball game to be played at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Flanked by Kentucky coach John Calipari and Maryland athletic director Kevin Anderson, on what Barclays Center developer Bruce Ratner called “another good day” despite dreary weather, Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark announced Wednesday that the under-construction arena would tip off its “Brooklyn HOOPS” college sports franchise with the Barclays Center Classic, presented by Sheets Brand Energy Strips, on November 9, 2012.
The inaugural matchup will feature the University of Kentucky – college basketball’s winningest program – taking on the University of Maryland, alma mater of
“From our perspective, the grand-opening celebration of the Barclays Center kicks off September 28 and runs through December 31st,” Yormark explained. “It’s our goal to bring the best of all sports entertainment to Brooklyn. We think with media partner ESPN, as well as Kentucky and Maryland, we’ve done just that to kick off our college sports franchise. We’re thrilled to bring the great tradition of these programs to Brooklyn, and have our media partner, ESPN, take that and the Barclays Center nationally.”
Having decided to launch Brooklyn HOOPS with a tournament featuring a premier early-season matchup, Yormark turned to a good friend – and a familiar name for Nets fans: Kentucky coach Calipari, who helmed that post for the Nets from 1996-99. Yormark said that Calipari quickly signed up after being told of the nascent tournament, knowing that the opening of a new, state-of-the-art arena in the New York City area would be a major event.
But Calipari remembered it a little differently, joking that he agreed only to stem the tide of Yormark’s infamous 5 a.m. e-mails. He’s excited by the opportunity and what it will mean for the profile of the two schools, as well as the Barclays Center.
“The thing for me is, it’s about relationships,” Calipari said. “Brett and I have been friends for a long time; we worked closely when I was with the Nets. I want him to do well – if I can use this program to help that facility, and Brett, and the city of Brooklyn, then we’re going to do it. I’m in a great situation, whether it be me personally or this program, to use it for good, to use it for help. That’s what I try to do, and that’s why we’re doing this.”
Calipari proved so enthused he tipped off Nick Dawson, ESPN’s director of programming and acquistion for men’s college basketball. That initiated a series of exploratory conversations between Dawson and Yormark, and eventually in-person meetings that led to a partnership on the media presentation.
ESPN will broadcast more than 1,450 men’s college basketball games in the coming season, and Dawson’s team must figure out a tricky balance between agreements with conferences, events, schools and other entities when deciding upon which games to broadcast on which channels and to which markets. Recent on-court performance, historical ratings and other events on the sports and entertainment calendar all play a role, as do external factors, such as the opening of a second major venue for college sports in New York City.
“I think it’s fantastic,” Dawson said. “I think the city of New York, and Brooklyn as well, has a passion for basketball – it’s a hotbed. Anytime we get the chance to do a game in the Greater New York area, it’s exciting for us, especially when it involves programs of Kentucky and Maryland’s stature.
“I think it creates a great environment for college basketball, and I think playing these kind of games early in the season is great for the sport. It’s great to get fans enthused at a time of year when a lot of the interest is focused on football, and college basketball has struggled over the years to get a launching point for the season in November. I think games like this help that.”
