LIU partners with Barclays Center
Shot of the Barclays Center under construction in January, 2012. Credit: Barclays Center Media Relations
LIU Brooklyn will have a new home away from home the next few years.
The Brooklyn school and the Barclays Center formed a multifaceted partnership with each other on Wednesday.
LIU will play a minimum of four home games at the Barclays Center through the length of the agreement. The Blackbirds are already set to participate in the Barclays Center Classic on November 9 and the Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Festival on December 22.
It won’t be just a benefit for the basketball program. As part of the educational component of the alliance, the Barclays Center will annually host five one-hour bi-weekly classes for students in the LIU Sports Management Degree program.
The classes will include Barclays Center and Nets Basketball executives serving as guest lecturers. In addition, at least five LIU students will annually receive internships with Barclays Center or Nets Basketball.
“We are delighted to partner with Downtown Brooklyn's newest jewel, Barclays Center,” said LIU Brooklyn Provost Gale Stevens Haynes. “Our collaboration will provide far-reaching opportunities not only for our students and campus community but for our neighboring communities as well.”
Getting back to what this means for LIU basketball, the added exposure of playing in an NBA arena several times a year will do wonders for recruiting.
The Blackbirds (25-8), who are making their second straight NCAA appearance, will take on top-seeded Michigan State in a second-round game on Friday. Under coach Jim Ferry, LIU has won 52 games the last two years and two straight NEC Tournament championships.
In addition to the Barclays Center Classic and the Brooklyn Hoops Festival, the arena will also host the Legends Classic. Georgetown, Indiana, UCLA, and Georgia are among the 12 schools that will compete in the tourney, which culminates with the semifinal and championship at the arena on Nov. 19-20.
The arena will also host the Brooklyn Hoops Winter Festival, featuring Michigan vs. West Virginia and Fordham against Princeton on Saturday, December 15. The Michigan-WVU game will be telecast on one of the ESPN networks.
