Islanders matinee game draws record-low crowd to Barclays Center
An afternoon contest Monday between the New York Islanders and the visiting San Jose Sharks drew a sparse crowd of just 8,790 to the Barclays Center, according to Arthur Staple of The Athletic.
It marked the lowest-ever turnout to an Isles home game since the team moved to Brooklyn in 2015. Poor ice conditions, challenging commutes, and obstructed views have continued to plague the fan base.
The Islanders finished with the NHL's lowest average attendance last season, coming in at just 12,002. The Barclays Center holds 15,795.
The franchise hopes to combat its attendance woes this year by splitting its home games between Barclays Center (21 games) and Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum (20 games). Plans are also in place to build a new arena in Belmont Park, which is just east of New York City. Arena construction will begin in 2019.