As someone who has attended a handful of games at Barclays Center this season, it appears evident that Brett Yormark and his staff need to do a better job controlling their security personnel.
By Justin Weiss
It has been seven months since the New York Islanders last played a game in Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and, for the most part, I have embraced the move to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
Sure, Brett Yormark and his team haven’t been able to fully elevate the atmosphere to the level it was in Nassau County, but that’s to be expected — there was nothing in sports like the atmosphere at the Ol’ Barn on Hempstead Turnpike.
What bothers me, rather, is the lack of a family-friendly atmosphere that was supposed to be prevelant at games.
This was evident during last night’s loss to the Florida Panthers. It would have made sense for there to be some on-ice quarrels the way the Isles got thoroughly outplayed. What shouldn’t have happened, however, is an apparent fight between Barclays security and a few fans allegedly wishing to view a scoreboard message honoring and remembering their late father.
This is extremely disconcerting.
(CBS News at 11)
These Disney trained security officers have been a subject of much scrutiny by fans this season. Why can’t we be like every other team in the league and permit people to go down to the glass an hour before gametime? Why can’t we be like any other team in the league and allow fans to enjoy themselves, not trying to pick fights every second?
From one of the female victims, on Facebook:
(Insert name) and I pitched in and paid $75 to get a message for the (Insert name) dad on the screen during second intermission, when we realized the 16 members of their family who were in attendance couldn’t see the screen from their seats we suggested they goto the handicap area to just get a better view and come back up. We didn’t think this would be an issue because when I sprained my ankle they allowed me to sit in the section without an ada ticket on multiple occasions for the entire game. Instead of understanding the situation security used this request as an excuse to abuse their power.
Honestly I’ve never seen such mindless unwarranted violence from security at any other event, a woman security guard called johns sister a cunt and while her and I were standing together trying to get to her mom the she screamed “bitch I will cut you” right into (Insert name)’s face, she then proceeded to jump on top of (Insert name) throwing us both to the floor- she pulled (Insert name)’s hair, messed up her face pretty bad and also caused me to hit my head on the wall and floor of the hallway. She then proceeded to tell others around us that (Insert name) “deserved it”. The security team then let the visibly injured (Insert name) lay on the floor as we propped her head up with peoples jackets waiting for emts. Thankfully the emts are not Barclays center employees and were very nice and documented everything- they are also willing to let us pick up a copy of the report at their office which is not at the arena. After being treated this way and seeing what they did to others including (Insert name) I don’t think I can bring myself to go to a game any time soon. As a non season ticket holder the only way I can show them they can’t act this way is by not giving them money, I’ll be emailing the promotions department looking for a refund of the message board seeing as last night all I got was an offer for them to pick a different night for us to come back- what a joke.
This is getting absurd. It’s nice that he reached out to those involved, but Brett Yormark better do the right thing and not only fire some employees, but also make going to games a more fan-friendly experience as well.
The complainers are going to complain.
But look at it this way: if you don’t give them anything to complain about, that won’t happen.
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