Hello Brooklyn

Ever since I first purchased my tickets for the Brooklyn Hoops Winter Festival, I had counted down the days to the (obviously) inaugural event. Not only to see my Alma Mater, the #2 ranked Michigan Wolverines, but also to see the new pride of Brooklyn, the Barclays Center.

Many of friends --- some who saw the Rolling Stones, others who had been for Nets' games --- raved about the facility on Atlantic Avenue. After attending the Hoops Festival, I could not agree more. The stadium is not only a beautiful place to watch basketball, it is also a sponsor's dream.

First off, the Barclays Center is accessible by nearly all major subway lines, making it easy to get to for those working or living in Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, or any of the city's five boroughs. The significance for sponsors is simple hospitaliy opportunities for clients, as wel as a diverse audience. The stadium neatly lsits atop the subway stairs, giving visitors the impression that they are walking directly up into the arena --- very similar to Washington D.C.'s Verizon Center.

The arena itself is fan friendly as well. With a wide variety of Brooklyn-based eateries, the stadium offers something for everyone. Whether it be a Nathan's Brooklyn Hot Dog, a cuban sandwich from Havana, or an enormous cheesecake slice from Junior's, all visitors should leave full. The service is also quite impressive, with attendants even working the condiment kiosks.

In addition to the concessions, there are also beautiful lounges, bars, and team shops surrounding the concourse. The Nets' branding dominates the area, with their black-and-white color scheme unavoidable to the eye. Different team partners have branded lounge areas along the concourse, where fans can relax and interact. While most of these are open to the public, there are several private areas, such as Jay Z's 40/40 club, the perfect spot for any corporate gathering, or in this case, a pre-game tailgate for the University of Michigan Alumni Club of New York.

There are also innumerable branding opportunities within the playing area. The jumbotron is state-of-the-art and broadcast partner commercials during most time-outs. The ring-like area beneath the jumbotron was used mostly for branding purposes. For the Hoops Festival, it displayed branding for Honda, the title sponsor of the event, seemingly throughout the entire game. Other opportunities included a partner CEO --- accompanied by Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark --- delivering the gameball and several sponsored fan contests on-court during timeouts.

The Barclays Center was packed full for the game which, irregardless of the passionate and New York-based Michigan alumni, is impressive and a testament to the Center's sales team. As the organization continues to execute, and sell into, this type of large events, they will learn how to even more effectively activate in their new palace. The stadium, with beautiful corporate suites between the 1st and 2nd levels, has so many tremendous benefits for partners.

Brands eager to gain market share in Brooklyn, and the rest of New York for that matter, will soon recognize these opportunities within the Barclays Center. The arena's impressive array of founding partners, which includes Stoli, Calvin Klein, Geico, and American Express, is proof of the facility's immediate value to brands, a big testament to Yormark and his team.