COLLEGE PARK, Md. - A four-stop list of visits with Terrapin fans was revealed Friday as the Maryland athletics department released the schedule for the 2013 Coaches Caravan.

Maryland coaches, athletic department staff and student athletes will visit with fans from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at each of four stops on the Caravan, which will be hosted either at a restaurant or on a boat cruise. Each event will feature a short program with insight into Maryland Athletics followed by an opportunity for attendees to mingle with the coaches and student athletes, take photos and get autographs.

There are 100 spaces available at each location, and tickets are only $25 per person and $15 for children ages 15 and under. If capacity is reached, names and phone numbers will be put on a waiting list, but there will be no guarantees on securing a spot.

Appetizers and giveaways will be provided by the Terrapin Club at each event. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Terrapin Club at 301-314-7020.

Coaches Caravan 2013

Ocean City
May 20, 2013
6:30pm-8:30pm
Galaxy 66 Bar and Grille
6601 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD

- Parking available at the site
- Special Guests: football coach Randy Edsall, wrestling coach Kerry McCoy, and deputy director of athletics Nate Pine.

Annapolis
May 23, 2013
6:30pm-8:30pm
Catherine Marie Yacht (Annapolis City Dock)
1 Dock Street, Annapolis, MD

- Boat will stay docked until 7:00pm
- Parking is available near dock at meters and any other spaces downtown
- Special Guests: football coach Randy Edsall, field hockey coach Missy Meharg, soccer coach Sasho Cirovski and director of athletics Kevin Anderson.

Baltimore
May 29, 2013
6:30pm-8:30pm
Spirit of Baltimore Yacht
561 Light Street Baltimore, MD

- Boat will stay docked until 7:00pm
- Parking is available at Harbor Place Indoor garage at the Royal Sonesta hotel.  The address is 30 East Lee Street and is right across street from Spirit. Get voucher on board for $6.00.
- Special Guests: men’s basketball coach Mark Turgeon, women’s basketball coach Brenda Frese, soccer coach Sasho Cirovski, wrestling coach Kerry McCoy and director of athletics Kevin Anderson.

Washington, DC
June 4, 2013
6:30pm-8:30pm
Virginia’s Jewel Yacht
1300 Maine Avenue SW Washington, DC

- Boat will stay docked until 7:00pm
- Parking is available at the dock for $15 or there is other parking including: street parking, parking garage down the street or at Phillips down the street
- Special Guests: men’s basketball coach Mark Turgeon, women’s basketball coach Brenda Frese, soccer coach Sasho Cirovski and director of athletics Kevin Anderson.

Alex Len

Opening Statement:

“I want to start off saying this: it has been two wonderful years here. I am thankful for everything. Thank you to the coaching staff, the administration and academic staff to help me succeed at the University of Maryland.

“I have decided to take the next step and enter my name into the NBA Draft. My family and I have been thinking about this for some time now. With Coach Turgeon we came to the decision, and we think this is going to be a great decision for me, and my career. I am very blessed and thankful to have had the opportunity to be a Terp. I want to thank the Maryland Basketball family for welcoming me with open arms and for helping me become the person I am today.

“I want to thank Coach Turgeon. When I got here he asked me what my goals were. I told him that I wanted to be an NBA player. I want to thank him and the entire coaching staff for putting me in the position to accomplish that goal. I also want to thank my teammates. They were always there for me on and off the court. We shared some great moments together and I will always have these memories for the rest of my life.

“I want to thank the best fans that any team has. They always came out to support us no matter the score or even the weather. They always stood up behind us 100 percent and I hope they will continue to stand behind me in the next phase of my basketball career. I will always be a Terp.”

On how he came about this decision:

“After the season I talked to my family and met with Coach Turgeon to talk about it. We have been thinking about it and we came to the conclusion that the right time was now.”

On where he has to improve:

“The last two years I came here I learned a lot and really improved. All you can do is work hard. I am excited for this next step. All I want to do is work hard and learn as much as I can.”

On telling his teammates he was declaring and how they reacted:

“The guys were really excited for me and they told me it was the right decision. They were just excited.”

On favorite NBA teams:

“I watch a lot of NBA, but I don’t have any preferences. I have favorite players but I’m going to play for any team that chooses me. I want to go somewhere I can contribute and I can improve myself.”

On if he considered coming back:

“During the season I didn’t think about it at all. I was just focused on the season. After the season I made the decision together with my family and coach Turgeon and we just decided it was the best decision.”

On if he’s looking forward to the NBA game:

“I’m excited. It’s going to be a huge step. The post in the NBA is a different game and I’m ready for that. I’m just ready to work hard.”

Head Coach Mark Turgeon

Opening Statement:

“I want to thank everyone for coming out. I know this has been a lingering story. You can’t keep secrets, especially good secrets very easily. It is an exciting day for all of us, our program, for Alex. It just seems like yesterday that he walked into our office; it was August of our first year here. This big seven-foot skinny kid walks in. He knows very little English, and less than two years later he is going to put his name in the draft and most likely be a lottery pick. I think top ten pick before it is all said and done.

“Quick little story, his mom came in when he committed and he gave me this little turtle for Maryland. She said I am giving Alex to you as a baby, when he leaves here I want him to be a man. He has grown up a lot. In two years I have never seen a kid learn a language, learn the game, the European game is a lot different than ours, and just the way he has progressed. I don’t think I have ever been around a player who has progressed as much as Alex has as quickly as he has. The reason the NBA is so intrigued and I know he is going to be a great pro is that he is only 19. I can’t imagine where he is going to be when he is 23.”

On Alex’s contributions to the team:

“I think we finished third or fourth in the country in field-goal percentage defense, and it was for one reason. It was this guy right here. The Iowa game, we would have lost by 20 if he wasn’t out there altering shots and blocking shots. His shot-blocking late in the season — really it was at the Virginia game. I was always talking about being a presence at the rim. ‘Protect the rim, Alex.’ I’d hit him on his chest so he had to look down at me — I didn’t hit him hard — but he’d look down at me and I’d just say protect the rim. He’s an unbelievable shot blocker and that’s what I asked him to do. He’s special. I talked to a couple NBA guys yesterday that had really high picks and I told them don’t mess up. I think he can be the No. 1 pick. They’re talking about the other guy being No. 1, and you guys saw the same game I saw when we played them earlier in the year. This kid’s going to be special.”

On the sense of pride he has:

“Alex and I teared up a little bit in our office when he said he was leaving because I was like, “Wow, it happened so quick.” That’s why I came to Maryland. To coach guys like Alex. He wasn’t the first kid to commit to us, but he was the first player to commit to us that played for us – if that makes sense. For him to be a lottery pick a year later says a lot about him, says a lot about how lucky we were to get him and also our program and our staff. A guy who hasn’t been mentioned is Kyle Tarp, the strength and conditioning coach. He did a great job. He put 30 pounds on this guy in one summer and so it’s just really good for our program. Hopefully I’m here for a long time. I’m going to have an NBA wall and he’s going to be the first one and hopefully this becomes an annual event for us where we have someone going to the NBA draft in the first round.”

- Terps -

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – University of Maryland sophomore center Alex Len is forgoing his final two years of collegiate eligibility to enter the NBA Draft.

Len and head coach Mark Turgeon will hold a press conference in the Comcast Center media room Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.

“I’m very grateful for the two years I’ve spent at Maryland and for everyone that has supported me during my time here,” said Len. “It’s been an honor to play here and I’ve learned so much. I want to thank Coach Turgeon and the coaching staff for believing in me and helping me grow as a player and a person. I also want to thank my teammates who were always there for me. We shared some great moments together. I’ve grown a lot, both on the court and off the court, over the past two years and I am looking forward to the next chapter of my life.”

“I’m very proud of Alex and am excited for what the future holds for him,” said Turgeon. “To see the progress he’s made on the court, in the classroom and socially has been a truly rewarding experience. Alex has worked incredibly hard since he got here and he has earned this opportunity.”

Len averaged 11.9 points per game and 7.8 rebounds per game while leading the ACC with 78 blocks in 2012-13. The 7-foot-1 native of Antratsit, Ukraine, was named honorable mention All-ACC and was a member of the All-ACC Defensive team last season.

Len dramatically increased his productivity from his freshman to sophomore season, making improvements in nearly every statistical category. His scoring went from 6.0 points per game to 11.9, while his rebounding increased from 5.4 to 7.8 per game. For his career, Len holds averages of 9.7 points per game, 7.0 rebounds per game and 2.1 blocks per game. He played in 60 games with 48 starts, 37 of those coming in 2012-13.

College Park, Md. – University of Maryland men’s basketball head coach Mark Turgeon announced today that junior point guard Pe’Shon Howard has been granted permission to transfer for his senior season.

Howard (6-3, 190 lbs) averaged 3.3 points and 3.6 assists in 36 games with 24 starts in 2012-13. In his three seasons at Maryland, Howard averaged 4.7 points and 3.5 assists in 83 career games with 44 starts.

“We wish Pe’Shon the best and thank him for his contributions as a student-athlete at the University of Maryland,” said Turgeon. “We are disappointed that he is leaving, but Pe’Shon shared with me that his grandmother is ill in California and that he would like to finish his final season of eligibility playing closer to home. We understand this is best for Pe’Shon and his family and will support him through this transition.”

“I want to thank Coach Turgeon for allowing me to pursue an opportunity to complete my final season of college basketball at a university closer to home,” Howard said. “It was a very difficult decision because I really enjoyed my three years as a student-athlete at Maryland, but my grandmother is sick and I feel it is best that I be closer to my family. I love my teammates and wish them the very best and appreciate all of the support and guidance that I received from my coaches.”

- Terps -

Terps and Huskies to play in Barclays on Nov. 8, 2013

BROOKLYN – The University of Maryland men’s basketball team will face the University of Connecticut in its 2013-14 season opener on Nov. 8 in Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

It will be the first meeting between the schools since March 24, 2002, when the Terrapins defeated the Huskies 90-82 in the NCAA East Regional on the way to their first national championship. UConn holds a 3-2 edge all-time in the series.

“We’re looking forward to returning to Barclays Center to play a quality opponent in Connecticut,” said head coach Mark Turgeon. “This will be a great experience for our players and fans.”

“It was a great experience to play at a first-class facility like Barclays Center last season,” said director of athletics Kevin Anderson. “We’re looking forward to returning and taking on a great opponent in front of an energetic and enthusiastic crowd.”

The Terrapins played Kentucky in the opener last season in front of a sold out Barclays Center crowd. Last month, Maryland signed a multi-year agreement to continue play at Barclays Center.

Entering Tuesday night’s NIT semifinal vs. Iowa, Maryland (25-12) has matched its most wins in a season since also winning 25 games in 2006-07. Connecticut went 20-10 in 2012-13, the first season under coach Kevin Ollie.

Tickets for Maryland vs. Connecticut will go on sale soon and will be available through Ticketmaster by visiting www.barclayscenter.com or www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling 800-745-3000.

Maryland (25-12) vs. Iowa (24-12)

National Invitation Tournament – Semifinals

Tuesday, April 2, 2013 • 9 p.m. ET

New York, N.Y. • Madison Square Garden

TV: Semifinals – ESPN2 – Bob Wischusen (Play-by-Play), Bill Raftery (Analyst) & Dan Dakich (Analyst)

Radio: Terrapin Sports Radio Network – Johnny Holliday (Play-by-Play) & Chris Knoche (Analyst)

Storyline

• Maryland is playing in the National Invitation Tournament semifinals for the third time in history and first time since 2005 after dispatching No. 1 seed Alabama, 58-57, last Tuesday. The Terrapins are 14-6 all-time in the NIT and 1-1 in the semifinals; they captured the title in 1972 with wins over Jacksonville and Niagara, and fell in the 2005 semis to South Carolina.

• In winning at Alabama, Maryland captured its 25th victory of the season, the most for the program since 2006-07 when the Terps were 25-9. A win in the semifinals would give Maryland its most victories since it had 32 in the 2001-02 national championship season.

• Since opening postseason play in the ACC Tournament, Maryland has played some of its best basketball, winning five out of the last six games. Dez Wells has carried the scoring load in the postseason, averaging 18.3 points per game on .574 shooting from the field, including .727 (8-11) from 3-point range. Wells’ scoring surge goes back to the regular season – the sophomore is averaging 17.8 points per game on .558 (67-120) shooting in the last 10 games.

• Alex Len recorded a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds at Alabama, his sixth of the season and first since the home win over Boston College on Jan. 22. Len also matched a career high with five blocks. At 11.5 points per game, the sophomore is one of four Terps averaging double-figure scoring in the postseason. Nick Faust is averaging 11.2 points per game and is shooting .400 (10-25) from 3-point range. The fourth, freshman Seth Allen, averaged 10.8 points per game off the bench in five postseason games, but fractured a bone in his shooting hand in practice on March 24 and will miss the rest of the postseason.

• The Terps are set to meet Iowa for just the third time in history. Maryland won each of the previous meetings, in 1984 and in 1999. Should they advance, the Terps would be playing their first ever game against either Baylor or BYU.

Maryland (24-12, 8-10 ACC) at Alabama  (23-12, 12-6 SEC)

National Invitation Tournament – Quarterfinals

Tuesday, March 26, 2013 • 7:30 p.m. ET

Game #37 • Road Game #11 • Tuscaloosa, Ala. • Coleman Coliseum

TV: ESPN – Bob Wischusen (Play-by-Play) & Jimmy Dykes (Analyst)

Radio: Terrapin Sports Radio Network – Johnny Holliday (Play-by-Play) & Chris Knoche (Analyst)

Storyline

• Maryland will play in the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament for the third time in history and first time since 2005 when it takes on Alabama in Tuscaloosa Tuesday night. The Terrapins advanced to the quarters with wins over Niagara and Denver last week in College Park.

• In its two previous quarterfinal appearances Maryland is 2-0, beating Syracuse 71-65 in 1972 and topping TCU 85-73 in 2005. The Terps are seeking their third trip to New York for the semifinals and finals, having won the title in 1972 and lost in the semis in 2005.

• Since opening postseason play in the ACC Tournament, Maryland has played some of its best basketball, winning four out of the last five behind the play of Dez Wells and Nick Faust. Wells is averaging 19.4 points per game on .586 (34-58) shooting, while Faust is averaging 12.8 points per game. As a team, Maryland is shooting .476 from the field, .386 from 3-point range and .797 from the free throw line.

• Over the past 10 games, Faust is shooting .500 (43-86) from the field, .442 (19-43) from 3-point range and averaging 13.2 points per game. He has scored in double figures in seven straight games. Wells, meanwhile, is averaging 18.3 points per game over the last nine and shooting .564 (61-110) from the field in that span.

• In both its first- and second-round wins, Maryland dominated the second half en route to double-digit wins. The Terrapins were tied at 35 with Niagara before outscoring the Purple Eagles 51-35 in the final 20 minutes. Against Denver, Maryland trailed 30-27 at halftime, but used a 23-4 run over the game’s final nine minutes to win 62-52.

• The Terps will be meeting Alabama just the fifth time in history. Maryland leads the series 3-1, though the Crimson Tide won the last meeting, 62-42 in the 2011 Puert

Maryland (22-12, 8-10 ACC) vs. Niagara  (19-13, 13-5 MAAC)

National Invitation Tournament – First Round

Tuesday, March 19, 2013 • 7 p.m. ET

Game #35 • Home Game #20 • College Park, Md. • Comcast Center

TV: ESPN2 – Mike Patrick (Play-by-Play) & LaPhonso Ellis (Analyst)

Radio: Terrapin Sports Radio Network – Johnny Holliday (Play-by-Play), Chris Knoche (Analyst) & Walt Williams (Sidelines)

Storyline

• Maryland opens play in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament when it takes on Niagara in Comcast Center Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Terrapins are returning to postseason play for the first time since 2010, when they advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

• The Terps are appearing in the NIT for the eighth time in school history and hold an 11-6 record in the tournament. Maryland owns one NIT title, in 1972, when they defeated Niagara in the championship game 100-69. That is the only time the two schools have met.

• The NIT appearance marks the ninth time in the last 11 years that head coach Mark Turgeon has led his team to the postseason. Turgeon led Wichita State to the NIT in 2003, 2004 and 2005, and the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2006. He then led Texas A&M to the NCAA second round all four of his years in College Station (2008-11).

• Dez Wells led Maryland to the semifinals of the ACC Tournament last weekend, averaging 22.0 points per game en route to first team All-Tournament honors. The sophomore had a career-high 30 points on 9-of-13 shooting in the 83-74 quarterfinal win over No. 2 Duke, making all 10 of his free throw attempts while adding six rebounds and three assists. Over the past seven games, Wells is averaging 19.1 points per game on 55.6 percent shooting.

• Alex Len and Nick Faust also had solid tournaments, with Len averaging 13.7 points per game and Faust averaging 12.3 points per game. Len had his second career 20-point game in the semifinal against North Carolina when he finished with 20 on 5-of-7 shooting and 10-of-12 free throws. Faust has come on strong towards the end of the season, having averaged 13.1 points per game over the last eight games.

After a furious second half comeback fell just short in a 72-69 loss to then #3 Kentucky in Brooklyn in early November, I asked University of Maryland basketball coach Mark Turgeon about whether the experience was the next stop in a process of learning how to win for a young basketball team.

Turgeon didn’t mix words in his response, and in the process created a standard that he has since been judged by in just his second season at the helm in College Park.

“We’re gonna win, and we’re gonna win this year. We just didn’t win tonight. I can promise you that.”

He had the chance to slow down or perhaps say something more along the lines of coachspeak terms before wrapping up the answer and postgame press conference, but instead Turgeon looked right back at me and repeated the sentiment.

“We’re gonna win. We’re gonna win.”

Turegon has been known for his honesty, which at times has drawn the ire of Terrapins who believe he should do more to protect his players in the media even if he’s frustrated with them on or off the court behind closed doors. Others have found the coach’s willingness to avoid hyperbole and instead answer questions directly praiseworthy.

On this particular night at the Barclays Center, Turgeon probably didn’t need to be quite so honest. Unfortunately for him, the tone had been set and the success of his second season would be judged against the statement.

Perhaps Turgeon should have qualified his statement by saying something along the lines of “we’re gonna win…at least a couple of times against Duke.”

Maryland is headed back to the NIT for the fourth time in the last nine seasons, only three of which have ended in the NCAA Tournament. They’ll play Niagara Tuesday night in Turgeon’s first postseason appearance since his arrival from Texas A&M, in front of what will likely be a small and hardly inspired crowd at Comcast Center.

Some will attempt to rationalize Maryland’s postseason fate by saying things like “this is a team that came on late and could make a charge through the Tournament” or “perhaps the Terps will use their NCAA Tournament snub to play inspired basketball” or “this will be a good chance for a young team to prove how much progress they’ve made going into next season.”

The truth is that Maryland went just 3-3 after February 28, no progress at all from their 4-4 record from January 30 to February 28. They only appeared to have made some significant progress because they managed to score a second victory over Duke in the ACC Tournament, clearly benefitting from a favorable matchup (partially based on Mike Krzyzewski’s unwillingness to abandon man on man defense) and a hot night from sophomore G Dez Wells.

The Terps did manage to defeat a woeful Wake Forest team and hang with North Carolina until late in Greensboro as well, but neither was drastically different than what we saw from this Maryland team the rest of the season. The Terps beat bad teams more often than not (losses at Georgia Tech and Boston College withstanding) and lost a number of other games against better opponents by close margins thanks to missed opportunities.

There are a number of concerns related to Maryland basketball that remain unaddressed. Many of the questions are related to Turgeon’s in-game decision making, punctuated by the team’s performance coming out of timeouts. (If you’ll remember, Maryland had called a time out at the end of the loss to UNC just before Logan Aronhalt tossed up one of the wilder last second three point attempts you’ve seen. It was particularly troubling because the Terps weren’t quite in their last seconds at that point.)

Many of the questions are related to the uneven performance of Maryland players. Center Alex Len has lacked toughness regularly, a concern that a trip to the NIT won’t help for a player most likely NBA bound in a matter of weeks. Guards Dez Wells and Nick Faust have had flashes of brilliance (Wells more often than Faust), but neither has maintained consistency. The group of players that have attempted to man the point guard position have played up to a level south of adequate.

The best thing to come from a NIT appearance will be extra practice time for Turgeon, a phenomenon akin to a college football team reaching a low level bowl game somewhere in Idaho.

Turgeon did himself no favors with his early season proclamation. The Terps did technically “win”, but did so against one of the worst non-conference schedules in all of college basketball and minimally against a conference that featured fewer NCAA Tournament teams than the Mountain West Conference. The wins over Duke provided moments of joy, but meant little as far as gauging the overall state of the program in comparison to a combined 0-5 record against fellow NIT teams Virginia, Florida State and Kentucky.

It’s easy to say that a run through the NIT would be preferred to a first round exit at the hands of their MAAC opponent Tuesday night, but it’s important to not be fooled by any success. This team appears to be closer to a turnaround than they were a year ago, but they’re still quite a bit away with the fear of future Selection Sunday disappointment quite real.

Happy March Madness.

-G

Kentucky AND MARYLAND Become Cornerstones of The BROOKLYN HOOPS™ COLLEGE BASKETBALL platform AT Barclays Center WITH MULTI-YEAR DEALS

Teams Announced for Barclays Center Classic and Barclays Center Women’s Invitational

Tickets on sale March 22 and March 29

BROOKLYN (March 16, 2013) — Major college basketball will continue to flourish in Brooklyn as Barclays Center has signed multi-year agreements to host the Kentucky and Maryland men’s basketball teams.

The 2013-14 college basketball season at Barclays Center will include a dynamic match-up when Kentucky faces Providence on Dec. 1, while Maryland will also be on the BROOKLYN HOOPS™ schedule. Kentucky and Maryland have already experienced Barclays Center when they played each other this season in a nationally televised sold-out game during the venue’s inaugural college basketball event.

“We are excited to return to Barclays Center next year to play Providence,” said Kentucky Head Coach John Calipari. “This season’s game against Maryland was an NCAA Tournament environment in November. It’s a great building and a great city. We’re looking forward to being back in Brooklyn next season and beyond.”

“We’re looking forward to returning to Barclays Center,” Maryland Head Coach Mark Turgeon said. “We had a great atmosphere up there this year and Barclays Center is a first-class arena. I know our student-athletes and coaches enjoyed the experience in Brooklyn and appreciated the outstanding support our fans provided us in a great opening game. We’ll look to repeat that again.”

“Some of the premier college basketball teams will be calling Barclays Center home for several years and we are delighted to continue to develop into a significant national collegiate sports venue,” said Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark. “There was exciting basketball and a great atmosphere in the inaugural season of BROOKLYN HOOPS™ at Barclays Center.  Next year will be even better.”

The extensive Barclays Center college basketball lineup continues with St. John’s, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, and Penn State participating in the 2nd annual Barclays Center Classic men’s basketball tournament on Nov. 29 and 30, 2013. Occurring on the same days will be the inaugural Barclays Center Women’s Invitational tournament, featuring Rutgers, Texas Tech, Michigan, and LSU. BROOKLYN HOOPS™ is presented by Ticketmaster.

Tickets for the Barclays Center Classic will go on sale March 22 and the Barclays Center Women’s Invitational will go on sale March 29. Tickets for the Kentucky-Providence game will go on sale April 19. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster by visiting www.barclayscenter.com<http://www.barclayscenter.com> or www.ticketmaster.com<http://www.ticketmaster.com>, or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.

For the second consecutive year, Barclays Center will host the BROOKLYN HOOPS™ Winter Festival presented by Honda and the BROOKLYN HOOPS™ Holiday Invitational (dates to be determined), along with Coaches vs. Cancer (Nov. 22-23) and Legends Classic. (Nov. 25-26). The teams for all four events will be announced soon.

The always competitive Atlantic 10 Tournament will return to Barclays Center from March 13-16, 2014. Additionally, LIU Brooklyn, this season’s Northeast Conference Tournament champion, will continue to play multiple games at Barclays Center next season.

The Barclays Center college basketball franchise BROOKLYN HOOPS™ presented by Ticketmaster is proud to partner with Applebee’s, GEICO, Honda, High Point Solutions, McDonald’s, Modell’s, and Powerade.

About Barclays Center:
Barclays Center opened on September 28, 2012, and is a major sports and entertainment venue in the heart of Brooklyn, New York. Developed by Brooklyn-based real estate developer Forest City Ratner Companies, and designed by the award-winning architectural firms AECOM (www.aecom.com/architecture<http://www.aecom.com/architecture>) and SHoP Architects (www.shoparc.com<http://www.shoparc.com/>), Barclays Center has one of the most intimate seating configurations ever designed into a modern multi-purpose arena, with unparalleled sightlines and first-class amenities. Barclays Center offers 17,732 seats for basketball, 14,500 seats for hockey, and up to 19,000 seats for concerts, and has 101 luxury suites, four bars/lounges, four clubs, and 40/40 CLUB & Restaurant by American Express.

Barclays Center is hosting an extensive variety of events, including premier concerts, monthly major professional boxing cards, top college basketball, family shows, the Brooklyn Nets and soon the New York Islanders.

In addition to Barclays, the naming rights partner, Founding Partners for Barclays Center include American Honda Motor Co., Inc., American Express, Calvin Klein, Cushman & Wakefield, EmblemHealth, Foxwoods Resort Casino, GEICO, MetroPCS, Stolichnaya, and Ticketmaster. Other sponsors include: adidas, Anheuser-Busch, The Coca-Cola Company, Gym Source, Haier America, High Point Solutions, JetBlue, LIU Brooklyn, New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge, SONY, and Willis.

Located atop one of the largest transportation hubs in New York City, Barclays Center is accessible by 11 subway lines, the Long Island Rail Road, and 11 bus lines.