Islanders No. 22 on Forbes' most valuable NHL team list
New York Islanders center Anders Lee celebrates with New York Islanders center Frans Nielsen, center, after he scores a power play goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period of an NHL hockey game at Barclays Center on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
The Islanders' move to Brooklyn this season has generated understandable curiosity throughout the NHL, not only over how the team would be received by a new community but how it would affect the bottom line.
So far it has been a net positive, according to Forbes' annual estimate of NHL team valuations, which was released Tuesday.
The report ranks the Islanders as the 22nd most valuable franchise in the 30-team NHL -- the same spot as last year -- at $325 million, up 8 percent from 2014.
Forbes attributed the modest rise to the team's move to a new arena from the outdated Nassau Coliseum. That move brought with it a large annual payout from Barclays Center, the Islanders' new home.
Forbes estimated the Islanders generated $93 million in revenue last season and had an operating loss of $14 million.
The Islanders were valued at $300 million by Forbes in 2014. In 2013, they were 26th at $195 million.
So far, attendance in Brooklyn has been lackluster at an average of 12,407 paid customers, but Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark said last week that sales of suites and sponsorships is at or ahead of projected pace. He expressed confidence that attendance would follow as the season moves into winter and spring.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
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