
_\*This trip occurred on February 28, 2026, and also marks the debut of the "NEW TEAM" badge: I'm not counting this as a 26 in 26 stop since I've been here before (and even got to [stand pitchside](2025-10-18_gothamfc2)), but since I haven't seen the Red Bulls yet, I figured I'd commemorate them (and other teams in this situation, as there are more to come) with this badge._

First, [I visited their stadium for another team’s match](2025-09-08_gothamfc).

Then, [I went and saw their reserves team in another stadium entirely](2025-09-22_rbnyii).

Now, it’s finally time to put the pieces together and talk about ~~Red Bull New York~~ **THE METROSTARS**.

The (New York/New Jersey) MetroStars were one of Major League Soccer's original ten franchises - they debuted alongside the league itself in 1996, but were actually founded two years earlier as Empire Soccer Club (and ownership apparently contemplated naming the team the Cosmos). While they only missed the playoffs three times in their first decade or so, they weren’t really all that successful - never making it past the semifinals in that time (which they only reached once).

Like most of the rest of "MLS 1.0" (as it's sometimes referred to), the team started life in an American football stadium - in this case, the old Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands (i.e. NOT the current stadium)[^1]. While the large stadium helped draw larger crowds (they were second in attendance in 1996 at over 23,000 a game), like most other MLS in NFL situations, the atmosphere was severely lacking. To address this, in 2000 the team put forth plans to build a stadium just for them in Harrison, NJ - a town in a (then) relatively uninspiring industrial area just east of Newark (though with a significant soccer history). Delays in funding pushed groundbreaking back to 2006, then a redesign of the stadium ended up delaying construction even further - eventually, the stadium opened in 2010 as part of a plan to redevelop Harrison (which has, for what it's worth, been somewhat successful; I have friends who looked at moving there after they got married, but eventually chose another town).

What caused that redesign?

The MetroStars were sold to Red Bull GmbH (an Austrian conglomerate that, yes, is best known for the energy drink) in 2006 and rebranded to "Red Bull New York". Not only was this rebranding controversial (and also one of the first Red Bull soccer teams in the world[^2]), but looking back, the launch video they released with Alexi Lalas (one of the most hated voices in American soccer today) was pretty cringeworthy (especially as it ends with him cracking open a Red Bull). However, one thing I WILL give Red Bull credit for: their redesign for the stadium probably was for the best, as it eliminated plans for one end to have a stage instead of seats in favor of a full seating bowl. The stage was intended for concerts to allow for extra revenue (as MLS matches weren’t exactly big draws back then), but I do think it makes the stadium look a bit "cheap", as it kinda feels like they’re treating soccer as a "secondary citizen" (in fact, the last surviving stadium with a stage is being renovated, and they’re taking the stage out).

Since becoming Red Bull New York, they've been...more or less the same. They have won the MLS Supporters' Shield (the award for having the best regular season record - which in most countries means you win the league) three times, and have featured superstars such as Thierry Henry, but still have yet to win MLS Cup (finishing runner up twice). In fact, they're one of three MLS founding franchises who are still around and have yet to win the MLS Cup (i.e. the ACTUAL league championship), though they do have the most Supporters' Shields of the three. On the other hand, however, the other two have won the U.S. Open Cup (a knockout tournament that runs alongside the league season which MLS doesn't seem to like as of late), so the Red Bulls remain the only original MLS team to never win a knockout tournament.

There is one other thing to discuss regarding the team: word order. When the team was rebranded after Red Bull, they were commonly known as the "New York Red Bulls" based on how teams in North America are commonly named (including much of the rest of MLS at the time of the rebrand). However, my understanding is that, as I said earlier, the team has always officially been "Red Bull New York", and I bring this up because I've heard that the team is pushing for the reduction/elimination of the "New York Red Bulls" moniker in favor of "Red Bull New York" (similar to how [New York City FC](2025-08-13_nycfc) is pushing the full "New York City" over "NYC"). As an example of this, the aforementioned development team was almost exclusively called "New York Red Bulls II" on their website when I was reading up on them prior to seeing them, but recently, they've been called "Red Bull New York II". Notably, however, their away shirt from last season - which they're still using this season - said "New York Red Bulls" (but has yet to be seen on the pitch).

Anyhoo, with all of that out of the way, let’s talk about THIS game. I found out the team’s schedule in early December 2025, and this game - the home opener mind you - jumped out at me for two reasons:

1. This game is on a Saturday at 2:30 in the afternoon. While this isn't the most important factor, only one other game before October was an afternoon game (a Sunday game at 4:30), and I kinda prefer afternoon games (partially so that these posts can be done "on time"). More importantly, however...
2. It’s against the New England Revolution! Sure, I don’t actually know if I like them or not since they’re the Buffalo Bills of MLS (with slightly less obnoxious fans on ~~𝕏~~Twitter), but they are (technically) the Boston MLS team[^3]!  

With that set, I decided to try something new for this blog: company! Several of the friends I've made in the past year are really into soccer, and I figured that trying to get a group together for this match might be fun - and it was! I ended up going to this game with four friends, and thanks to SeatGeek, I was able to get us tickets for just under 40 dollars each (and I got them the day before the game too!). For those forty bucks, we got surprisingly good weather for February (plus being in the sun made it rather warm) and seats in the upper deck along one of the "touchlines" (i.e. the side lines) - and THIS was our view:

![An image of soccer being played at Sports Illustrated Stadium](/images/2026/0228-field.jpeg)

<figcaption>It's like watching on TV, but better!</figcaption>

In case you forgot from the Gotham FC game: the stadium was originally Red Bull Arena (because Red Bull), renamed to Sports Illustrated Stadium in 2024 after the magazine...’s ticketing platform (which, from what I can tell, the stadium adopted this year), has entrances at field level, its main concourse a level above (at the top of the seating bowl), and a secondary concourse for the upper deck. What I did NOT get to talk about last time, however, was the upper concourse (as the upper deck was closed for that match); ultimately...there's not much to say. It only exists on the "long" side of the upper deck; I'm not sure if there's any upper concourses on the ends.

I also forgot to mention parking last time: the stadium is a short distance from the town's PATH station (a subway system that connects parts of New Jersey to New York City), so parking is pretty abundant (and, by pro stadium standards, not that bad costwise). However, getting out of the lot ended up being quite a hassle - it took us nearly an hour just to get out of Harrison (more on this in a sec).

The match itself was actually pretty interesting, but it did, sadly, remind me of why I likely can't bring myself to be a full-on Revs supporter: they were outplayed for a significant portion of the game (a lot of that being due to a relative lack of talent), yet were scrappy enough to somehow "only" lose 1-0 (though it probably should have been more). One thing my friends and I noticed was that despite the stadium being only about half full (possibly due to train issues, as the PATH wasn't running), the supporters' section was much fuller/better than I think we expected (i.e. they were much louder than you'd expect watching a match on TV); while "sitting" with them in the future is a question mark[^4], we agreed coming back was definitely something we'd like to do (though hopefully my 15-mile journey home doesn't take over an hour next time - though again, that may have been due to PATH not running).

### MERCH

There were a surprising amount of merchandise areas on the main concourse - the biggest of which is the "main" store in the "south building". This match was the first time I got to see any of the merchandise areas, as none of them were open the two prior times I was here - though I did see that the main store appeared to have a door to/from a premium lounge during [the Gotham FC Open House](2025-10-18_gothamfc2).

As RBNY is a pro-level team, however, I’ve bought most things I have from them at various other places: a jersey from an Adidas store, a scarf from a Dick’s Sporting Goods, and a hat from...I honestly don’t remember (I THINK it was DSG though). However, since this game featured them taking on the Revs (again, the team I THINK I'm supposed to like), I didn't want to show any partiality (I typically wear the home team's jersey during games FWIW), so I went in a bit of a different direction: Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio (i.e. the team that knocked Dortmund out of the Champions League a few days prior).

The merch area in the upper concourse had something I somehow didn't see on the main concourse: a black soccer ball featuring the Red Bulls' logo. I did have thoughts about getting one, but since I'm trying to pull back on this due to space constraints (and the fact that it was a full size soccer ball), I ended up opting against it.

I also had thoughts about getting a jersey, but ultimately decided not to (as it's a bit less expensive at other places outside of the stadium[^5] - though the replica jerseys in the stadium are labeled as having a different "fit" than replica jerseys sold elsewhere). I did get a scarf that I liked, however, as those are MUCH harder to find outside of the stadium.

---

### ON DECK

I don't know!

I have no less than THREE games I'm looking into going to next weekend, but I haven't made any decisions yet (not to mention the fact that two of the games are at the same time). During this game, however, something came up that may shape my schedule for the next few weeks...

---

[^1]: I never went to the old Giants Stadium; I did have a chance to visit during my senior year of high school as our football team played here for a state championship, but I passed on it...

[^2]: I mentioned this when I visited the reserve team, but Red Bull owns several soccer teams around the world; most of them are named "Red Bull \_\_\_" (except where local rules prohibit this - though Red Bull gets creative in those places).

[^3]: The Revs have not only never won MLS Cup, but have lost the final FIVE times - far and away the most of any team (including losing three in a row in the early 2000s). Also, I won't get into their ongoing stadium situation (which may actually be close to FINALLY being resolved), but I did once got a free Revs scarf from someone on Newbury Street in Boston as part of what I can only assume was a promotion for the team’s playoff push a few years ago. Not sure if they were actually "real" or not, but hey...free merch!

[^4]: The supporters' section is standing only - both for Gotham FC and the Red Bulls.

[^5]: Speaking of "jerseys outside of the stadium", there were several "vendors" on the roads outside the stadium selling jerseys! I'm 90% sure they're fakes however...

Putting two prior pieces of this blog together

Red Bull New York (Major League Soccer) @ Sports Illustrated Stadium (Harrison, NJ)


I had a trip planned for today and was actually quite excited about it - as indicated by the line I originally used to end my [last post](2025-02-15_dbyhattricks):

> _During the game, I found out about another team that plays in the building - in a sport I've been pretty interested in for a while._

However...there's a big snowstorm today.

Since I can't exactly head out in the middle of a snowstorm (PLUS the game I was going to go to got postponed), I figured I’d try my hand at some “side content”. I've been thinking about adding more posts like these to this blog for a bit, and while I'm still trying to figure out what types of things to write/post, it's a good way for me to keep updating this blog. Of course, this "side content" is also good for "rainy days" like today - though it's more of a "snowy day".

## Today's topic: Jerseys.

I’ve mentioned it a few times here, but I’ve been collecting sports jerseys for a while now (to the point where I have a spreadsheet to keep track of what I have). However, because there are SO DAMN MANY of them and I REALLY need to do this in moderation (for various reasons), I’ve established a set of rules that I use to determine whether or not I go for a jersey.

## RULE 1: It must be (decently) real

The thing with jerseys is that for various reasons, fake versions of jerseys have always existed. Nowadays, however, with how expensive jerseys have gotten (plus the fact that the quality tends to be...not so great), a lot of fans are turning to buying fake jerseys. Personally...I’m not a fan of it.

I won’t get into the legal ramifications of fake jerseys, but the reality is that a lot of fakes (especially back in the day) were, quite frankly, not all that great. They often featured features of lower quality, such as poorly executed front scripts/logos, lack of inner tags, and various other oddities; for example, MLB jerseys from the 2010s usually feature an ironed-on "tag" on the front of the jersey (though it was a sewn-on patch prior to this). If the jersey features this specific tag design as a sewn-on patch, it's probably fake.

To illustrate this a bit better, here's the tag from a jersey I own (which I got from a reputable seller):

![An image of the tag featured on an Authentic MLB jersey. It features the MLB logo and the words "Authentic Collection/Performance Apparel/Majestic/Size 48"](/images/2026/mlbtag.jpeg)

<figcaption>This jersey is from 2014, and it's the type of tag I typically see "faked"</figcaption>

And here's the tag from a jersey I found in a thrift store which is (very probably) fake:

![An ](/images/2026/faketag.jpeg)

<figcaption>I don't know what to make of this jersey, as it actually got MOST of the other things fakes tend to overlook "right" - I am leaning towards it being fake, however.</figcaption>

American and association football (aka soccer) seem to be the exception to this, as I’ve heard and seen quite a few stories about fake jerseys emulating real jerseys VERY WELL (to the point where folks on Reddit often have to ask if that jersey they’re looking at on eBay is real or not). For example, I saw a jersey at a vintage store once that seemed quite real: It had logos that looked pretty good, plus it had a retail tag on it. However, I checked the barcode on the retail tag and found it was for a different jersey altogether, and the wash tag inside was fully in Chinese; I can’t fully say whether or not it was in fact fake (as it TECHNICALLY could have been for a different market), but those small details made me opt against going for it[^1].

## RULE 2: It has to fit

This REALLY should be Rule 1, because it’s fairly obvious (especially as I actually like to WEAR these things): if it doesn’t fit, what’s the point?

Part of the reason this is rule two is because it’s actually one other reason I try to avoid fakes: a lot of times, they’re not the size they claim to be. Without getting too deep into the details, authentic jerseys (which most fakes try to represent) are sized on a “number” system (as opposed to S/M/L/XL). Having bought a TON of actual authentic jerseys over the years (mostly hockey and baseball), I’ve found that you can EASILY tell when a jersey is not what it claims to be: if it’s says it's, say, a size 48 baseball jersey (which is supposed to be an XL) but looks/fits like a small or medium, then it’s probably not genuine (unless it’s magical).

One thing I should note, however, is that jerseys vary WILDLY by manufacturer and sport. Some manufacturers have jerseys that run "true" to size, but in many cases, jerseys are "slimmer" than their "t shirt counterparts", which can be problematic for non-athletes like me[^2]. This mainly applies to soccer jerseys, but I actually have a bunch of Australian football "guernseys" (as they're called); while they're all listed as the same size...some feel okay, some a bit tight, and one feels so small that I can barely believe that it's the size printed on the tag.

These first two rules largely apply to retro stores, where variance is MUCH higher than at an “official” store (i.e. places that order directly from the manufacturer for retail purposes). However, there are, of course, many other places to find jerseys - so for those, these next few rules (start to) apply:

## RULE 3: Sports

While I’ve been trying to showcase a wide variety of sports on this blog, I must admit that I’ve found myself gravitating towards some sports more than others. This also applies to jerseys as well: over the course of my time collecting, I’ve found that these are the sports that I tend to enjoy more (both as a viewing experience and for their jerseys):

- Soccer: this one's a bit recent, but soccer jerseys offer a TON of design creativity and unique colors - even if they are more or less just plain shirts. In addition, there’s THOUSANDS of teams out there, so the possibilities are ENDLESS. However, with that in mind, I am trying to limit how many jerseys I get (and also debating which teams to go for) - more on this later.

- Hockey: similar to soccer, there’s a ton of design space (even if it is more “limited”, so to speak). One thing about hockey jerseys, however, is that they’re always long sleeved and tend to be heavy, so it’s hard to wear them in the warmer months.

- Baseball: among the three, I feel like baseball jerseys showcase the least “creative freedom”, as they’re typically a script or logo on the front and then MAYBE sleeve details (along with usually being white or gray). However, as most baseball jerseys are button downs, they can be easily worn with other clothing - especially if they feature either a logo over the heart (like the Detroit Tigers "Olde English D" or [REDACTED]) or a script that is neatly divided across the buttons (like the “RED SOX” or “BLUE JAYS”).

I feel that American football jerseys tend to be not very interesting design wise (due to the emphasis on the numbers), and I’ve discussed my issues with basketball jerseys in the past [on this blog](2025-11-25_rubasketball_womens#merch). I do have a few jerseys in a few other sports, but my so called "big three" are where I tend to focus on the most.

## RULE 4: Needlework is important

One gripe I have with modern jerseys: they often have features (i.e. logos, lettters, and numbers) that are heat pressed on. While I feel like it does make the jersey “look” more official, it ends up feeling a bit cheap, plus I’m always scared of things peeling/falling off. There’s also the fact that a lot of old football and basketball jerseys that I find in vintage stores have lettering that, IIRC, is either ironed-on rubber or vinyl. Personally, I can't decide whether this is better or worse than the modern version, as it’s MORE prone to peeling but less prone to falling off altogether.

Because of this, I typically try to avoid these and go for jerseys where the scripts and logos are stitched on. This does, however, raise two issues:

1. Most stores (i.e. your local Dick’s Sporting Goods) only sell replicas (i.e. the versions with heat pressed letters) for the NFL, NBA, and MLB (hockey and soccer are a bit weird/varied in this regard). If you want a “stitched” jersey for these leagues (i.e. the "authentic" version), they’re usually only available at stadiums (at least in person), and they can get PRICEY[^3].

2. One telltale sign of fakes is the fact that they ALWAYS stitch on scripts and numbers, but as other details are usually a bit off (a BIG example being stitching inside the jersey), it’s generally a bit easier to detect that they’re fake.

The nice thing about THIS rule is that I’ve rarely had to “break” it. For example, I’ve been checking out <a href="https://overclocked-overthoughts.netlify.app/blog/2025-11-09_shirts_and_the_city" target="blank">this store in New York City that specializes in soccer jerseys</a> quite a bit in the last few months (as recently as this past Thursday)[^4], and I must admit: it is overwhelming seeing all of those choices. However, one thing that has helped me narrow things down: if the badge on the shirt is glued/ironed on, then it’s probably a “no” - even though most "authentic" soccer jerseys nowadays feature heat pressed logos[^5].

There do exist some exceptions to this rule, however: a few of the soccer jerseys I’ve gotten do not have “sewn” versions (mainly lower level teams), and I once did a “blind box” style thing where I bought a jersey THEN found out what it was (and it had a plastic, glued-on badge). Also, hockey jerseys specifically featured glued on logos for a long while (and in many cases still do); however, the logos are usually a lot sturdier than the letters and numbers on football/basketball jerseys, so I've tended to still like them (especially in context of the next and final rule).

## Rule 5: Usage

So, I’ve found a jersey that is real, fits me decently well, and has letters, numbers, and logos that I’m okay with, there’s one more thing to think about:

Is this something I would actually wear/want?

I don’t have infinite closet space, and with so many jerseys in my possession that I've lost count, I’ve realized recently that I should PROBABLY start downsizing a bit and learning how to “focus”.

This is also one of the reasons I’ve been kinda moving away from jerseys that feature sublimation (i.e. most Minor League Baseball jerseys nowadays). Sublimation is a technique where details such as logos and scripts are “imprinted” into the fabric of a jersey; while this is WAY better for preservation of a jersey’s details (or at least I think so), I’ve found that I really like having the “weight” of those details raised.

## Rule 6: Names and Numbers

I wasn't really sure where to put this within the "flow" of my ruleset, but to be honest, I'm kinda on the fence about whether or not I like having names and numbers on my jerseys. My main reasoning for this is because in some cases, it's a bit odd/awkward if they end up playing somewhere else (or if the player in question gets "cancelled" - such as a certain Blue Jays legend whose jersey I found in a thrift shop once). This "problem" especially applies to one particular MLS team whose jerseys are an interesting color, but are damn near impossible to find without a certain name on the back - one I am 100% absolutely NOT interested in representing.

As mentioned earlier, it's difficult to find NFL and NBA jerseys that DON'T have a name and number attached to them due to how they're designed/produced (and if you find one, there's a non-zero chance it's counterfeit)[^6]. In addition, while blank NHL and MLB (and MLS) jerseys are generally more available (and most minor league and college hockey/baseball jerseys I've seen have been blank), the NHL and MLB team stores I've been to rarely feature blanks - most of what they sell have names and numbers already on them.

\-\-\-

So those are my rules for buying jerseys. I feel like this will evolve over time (again, as I'm trying to downsize both physically and in terms of my collection), but I hope it's something I hope some people out there find interesting (especially if anyone out there is thinking of starting a jersey collection). Of course, your rules may be different from mine, but that's the thing with hobbies like this: there's no real "right" way to do it.

---

[^1]: Not to mention it was an Athletic Bilbao jersey with the name of a player who I’m pretty sure is ineligible to play for Athletic Bilbao...

[^2]: One manufacturer in particular does something fairly unusual in this regard - but I'll get to them soon enough...

[^3]: though this isn’t always the case - such as my recent visit to [a Nets game](2026-02-08_bknets) featuring zero stitched/authentic jerseys.

[^4]: This store (along with the other store featured in the linked blog post) is actually why soccer is one of the sports I've been focusing on: it's MUCH easier to find vintage soccer jerseys than other sports.

[^5]: There is one jersey I ALMOST bought last time (as well as several other visits beforehand), but for some strange reason, the badge on it is a weird mix: a sewn-on patch with rubber decorations on it.

[^6]: I have, however, bought an NBA jersey without any numbers on it from a Nike outlet. I also saw "blank" Nets jerseys at the game I went to, but I'm pretty sure those are not sold blank as they're for "customization" purposes.


My rules for collecting jerseys - because limits have to be set

The Jersey Rules


### _[26 IN 26 STOP 5](/26in26list)_

_\*This trip occurred on February 14, 2026._

Danbury, CT is an interesting place. Aside from being the birthplace of two of my cousins, it’s also been the home of a whole host of low level hockey teams, many of which have called the same place home: the Danbury Arena.

![An wide-angle image of the Danbury Arena](/images/2026/0214-arena.jpeg)

I won't get too in depth about any of the teams that have played here in the past, but among them were a team called the Trashers, one of the founding members of the Federal Prospects Hockey League (who have since folded), a women's team in a predecessor of the [PWHL](2025-08-28_nysirens), and, of course, the current team: the Danbury Hat Tricks (who, it should be noted, are not connected to the former team in Danbury). Normally, I don't talk about building ownership in these posts, but I have to here, because part of why the Hat Tricks exist today: a 2019 sale of the building.

The Hat Tricks were were one of three teams established in 2019 as part of the building sale, and are the third team in FPHL history to call Danbury their home (there was a second team after the original team left, but they folded as well). In their short time as a club (though not by FPHL standards[^1]), they've been at least somewhat successful - after all, they have a league title to their name (won in 2023). Unfortunately, the biggest problem with planning a trip here: no afternoon games. They only host games on Friday and Saturday nights[^2], and though it’s not SUPER far (probably an hour and a half at most), I’d rather not be getting home at 11 PM (and also the roads are kinda dark at night - don’t even THINK about the Saw Mill).

HOWEVER...

The FPHL isn't the only game in town.

As mentioned earlier, the Hat Tricks were one of three teams brought into the Danbury Ice Arena in 2019. One was the aforementioned women's team (who basically folded when their league did prior to the founding of the PWHL), and the other was a NA3HL team that lasted until 2024 when they kinda sorta disappeared without a trace. There is, however, one more team I haven't discussed yet: in 2020, the Hat Tricks purchased a NAHL team that had been around since 2010 and moved them from Wilkes-Barre, PA to Danbury. This team - commonly known as the Jr. Hat Tricks to distinguish them from the FPHL team - has a VERY DIFFERENT schedule from their parent club, but most important is the fact that they had a weekend game that started at noon - i.e THIS game. There's not that much to say about the team (Wikipedia indicates that last season was the first time the team finished above last place in their division, but they were still only 8th of 10), so let's move on.

As mentioned earlier, the Danbury (Ice) Arena opened in 1999 and was apparently the beneficiary of a renovation five years later. It's very much a community oriented building - which begs the question of whether it (and other similar venues, as I have plans for those as well) should be considered for the _26 in 26_ (though the presence of the [Westchester County Center](2026-01-25_wcknicks) on my list should, without a doubt, answer that question). Unlike the the [Middletown Sports Complex](2025-09-14_njtitans), however, there's no swimming pool here; I saw something that indicated that the main rink became a roller rink one summer, but have not seen any information as to whether or not they're still doing that.

There are, in essence, two "aspects" to the building: a lobby with your normal amenities (i.e. concessions and merchandise) plus an arcade, and the arena itself. The majority of the seats here (as in the ones that were "open" for this general admission game) are side of the ice opposite the entrances, so you have to walk around the rink to get to them - and just as a fair warning: it is COLD at ice level. If you choose to go up the seats, however, the upper rows of the seating area are warmer. There are also some seating sections on the "near" side of the ice which are "balcony style" (i.e. they end well above the ice, as they're on the same side as the lower entrances). I didn't get to see these up close, as I THINK they were meant to be for "insiders only", so to speak.

Also, I do have to give a special "shout out" to sections 108 and 109 - two of the most UNUSUAL seating sections you'll ever see in ANY arena, as they're tucked into one of the walls. Section 108 is especially weird - it only has 16 seats because the door the Hat Tricks use to access the arena is here as well!

![an image of two seating areas tucked into a wall](/images/2026/0214-seats.jpeg)

<figcaption>Diehards only</figcaption>

This building, like a lot of other lower level arenas, does not have a center scoreboard, but rather two scoreboards at either end of the ice. At one end, there's a video screen which appears to be nine monitors arranged in a grid, and at the other, a pair of horns used to celebrate goals blare rather loudly if you're sensitive to that kind of thing.

There was basically NO atmosphere for the entire game, which is a bit of a shame as the Hat Tricks withstood a 32-shot barrage and shut out the visiting New Hampshire Mountain Kings 3-0. I realized during this game what makes lower level hockey hard to watch for some: missed passes, whiffed shots, and guys falling over CONSTANTLY - which does not exactly make for the best entertainment...

### MERCH

One of the more curious things about the Hat Tricks: their FPHL and NAHL teams each have their own online stores. The FPHL team has a store run by the team, while the NAHL team has one of those "spirit wear" sites. One thing that I found interesting on the FPHL team store: game used jerseys for both the FPHL and NAHL teams.

At this game, unfortunately...the merch booth wasn't open. I guess it's only open for FPHL games, and while I DID consider sticking around for the evening contest between the FPHL Hat Tricks and the Indiana Sentinels (a game the Hat Tricks won 7-0), it didn't feel right to me for various reasons (not the least of which was the game ending just before 10:00 PM).

---

[^1]: Much like other "independent leagues", the FPHL is somewhat notorious for franchise instability.

[^2]: One game in December did get pushed to Sunday due to weather, but I didn't know about that until it was far too late.


Who doesn't *love* a little junior hockey?

Danbury Hat Tricks (North American Hockey League) @ Danbury Arena (Danbury, CT)


Happy Birthday to me! I won't tell you how old I am, but instead, I figured I'd look into discussing what goes into making these posts today. It's something I've alluded to quite a bit, but I figure it'd be fun to show the people the amount of work that goes into this hobby of mine.

## STEP 1: Choosing the event

As you might expect, this involves looking at schedules and finding dates and times for their games. While I'd love to go to as many things as I could, there are a few factors I have to consider:

1. Time. A lot of these stadiums are in places with...varying reputations, so I try to make sure that I'm not somehwere I'd rather not be late at night. Also, with so many events on the calendar, you have to make sure that you don't end up creating conflicts. For example, before "settling" on this past weekend's [Nets game](2026-02-08_bknets), I considered going to [Sacred Heart](2025-12-31_sacredhearthockey_mens) before moving that trip up to the end of 2025, as they had a game at the EXACT SAME TIME as the Nets game. In addition, I need to make time for other things (i.e. friends and family), so I can't exactly be traveling around to sports venues every weekend.

2. Distance. I feel like you have to consider time driving vs. time spent at an event: for example, if it takes you an hour and a half to travel to an event you spend three hours at, then you've more or less "broken even" on time (three hours driving, three hours entertainment). Therefore, pretty much anything more than two hours gets dicey for me, as it's more time driving and less time at the event, and I don't believe that's super "worth it" - though there may be some exceptions.

For me, I like to arrive early so that I can get good parking, check out team stores, and walk around the stadium/arena, so that does shift things a bit as it usually adds an hour to the "event" side of the equation (especially in regards to certain trips I'm considering which involve 2+ hours driving). In addition, I'm looking into a few overnight trips in the near future (i.e. trips where I'll be staying somewhere nearby instead of going home).

## STEP 2: Research

Once I find a game that I think works for me, I start writing! In fact, this is a large reason why I'm able to have these posts out the day after the game: about 75% of the work is done BEFORE the event even starts[^1].

Generally, I don't want to get TOO deep into writing about history: that information is available in other places (though yesterday's Nets post may be a counter argument to that idea). However, I feel like I should provide a bit of context for what you're about to read, so I do try to have a team history section and, if applicable, an arena history section. Sometimes, I do a little bit about the city the team is based in, but unfortunately, a lot of that has, for better or worse, boiled down to "this place was fine back in the day but now it's kinda sketchy" (because those are the types of places that view sports as a potential economic boost).

Like a lot of other millennials, my primary source for information is Wikipedia. Y'see kids, before we could just ask AI chatbots to answer questions for us, we had to do research ourselves, and as someone who likes diving into things, I still do my own research. Wikipedia was (and still is) a major source of information that serves as a backbone for a lot of these posts - even if it is prone to the occasional vandal/wannabe comedian.

Once the "groundwork" for a post is done, I need to start thinking about the event itself, which means...

## STEP 3: Tickets

I realize that it SEEMS unusual to work on a post BEFORE buying tickets, but the thing is that most of the time, I start my posts before I even know what ticket prices are - and I can get away with it. Since MOST of the posts on this blog have actually been about lower league teams, tickets aren't actually that difficult to come by (or not even a thing in the case of the [Cape Cod Baseball League](ccbl_overview)). Usually, I can find something for a decent price a few days to a week before the game; this also helps avoid "wasting" money if I end up having to back out of an event last minute due to something coming up (which happens more often than I'd like in the "blog era"). In fact, there's been a few times where I've bought tickets at the venue immediately before the game; more often than not, this actually costs LESS than buying online (especially when Ticketmaster is involved). I actually DON'T typically like doing this, however, as it usually means I have less control over where I sit (as someone who doesn't like having to walk through seats).

There are some times that I do have to commit to buying tickets early as well. For example, certain things - such as the strength of the opponent/whether or not they're in conference (for NCAA games) - [can affect ticket prices](2025-09-12_onthefuture). Also, spoiler alert: I'm going to see quite a bit of Banana Ball this year, and due to [the way in which I am able to get those notoriously hard-to-get tickets](bananaball2), I have to buy those MONTHS in advance.

## STEP 4: The event itself

It's kinda weird that this is the "shortest" part of these posts, but it's true: I probably spend the LEAST amount of time at the MOST important part of these posts.

Like I said earlier, I'm one of those people who likes to arrive when the doors open, so I can walk around, see the entire stadium/arena, and (perhaps most importantly) see what's going on in terms of merchandise and concessions. Of course, this is also where I learn more about the building to write about later. I've considered using my Notes app to actually write down thoughts (as the nature of how I make these posts precludes me from editing them in the arena), but that has happened VERY rarely - the only time I can recall writing things to include on the blog was a mention of getting stuck on a train...

Of course, since half of going to a game is ACTUALLY GETTING THERE, that is another thing I tend to include in my writings. As of this point, I 've only made two overnight trips SPECIFICALLY for games (both of them to Boston - but I have other reasons for heading up there); however, I _can_ guarantee that this year will feature a game I have to fly to - hopefully (I already have a ticket for it, which should be a hint as to what it is).

It is somewhat ironic that the outcome of the game itself is the LEAST important part of posts here, but I figure that I really want to try and focus on the venue. Besides, if you want to know what happened, that information is readily available in other places online (though if anything super notable comes up, I may mention it).

One thing that doesn't usually find its way into these posts: clothing. I've alluded to it in places on this blog, but I've been collecting sports jerseys for a while now. Typically, I try to wear the jersey of the home team (or something relevant to them if I don't have/purchase their jersey at the game), but there are a few cases where I don't do this (one of which is actually coming up in a few weeks).

## STEP 5: Publishing

After the game ends, I try and apply the finishing touches to my writing: the information about the arena (and my impressions of it), plus any things related to the game I think are important.

One thing I've had issues with blogs I've done in the past: self-censoring. A lot of times, I work on a post only to scrap it because I feel like I'm just ranting and/or rambling too much, so very little actually gets posted. Thankfully, I don't have that problem here, as this is just me summarizing what a building looks like/what I think of it.

I think I've mentioned it somewhere, but this site is "self-published" - I'm using stuff I more or less "made" myself (as opposed to using a blogging platform like Substack, Medium, or WordPress). I don't want to get into how this is set up on that end as it's probably more technical than most readers would understand, but it does mean that there's a bit more work on my end than simply "typing and uploading" (though I find it does help me when I have to do all of my own formatting).

One thing I am kinda bad with (especially if you obsessively read my old posts over and over): editing. I mentioned it earlier, but I don't typically take notes on what I want to write about at a game; I mostly go off of memory. However, there are times when I either think I need to clarify something better and/or forget a detail after initially publishing a post (for example, the original version of my [Westchester Knicks post](2026-01-25_wcknicks) did not have any mention of the NBA G League's experimental rules, which I felt was important to include). The way this blog is set up makes those edits a bit more difficult to post, so more often than not, any sneak edits are usually made when a new post goes up (unless they're CRITICALLY important).

\-\-\-

And that's how things work around here. Hopefully that was interesting to read, 

I don't know if I intend to branch out like this more on this blog, but I feel like it might be a good way to make this blog a bit "fuller", so to speak. 

(Also, fun fact: I'm writing this BEFORE the NFL's "Big Game at the End of the Season since they trademarked the actual name of it", so I don't know the outcome of the game and am choosing NOT to edit it in. I also didn't really watch, as I typically DON'T 'cause I find it kinda stressful - and since the Patriots are in it this year...)

---

[^1]: It's also one of the reasons I'm not sure about trying to vlog sporting events - among other things.


An "inside look" into how things work

Sportventures Insider: The Process


### _[26 IN 26 STOP 4](26in26list)_

_\*This trip occurred on February 7, 2026._

The Brooklyn Nets.

On the one hand, I’ve always had a soft spot for the Nets despite the whole “moving from New Jersey” thing. Their two NBA Finals runs were when I was just starting to get into sports, and I can remember going to several Nets games - including Shaquille O’Neal’s debut with the Miami Heat (which I am 90% certain was the last NBA game I attended before this one). On the other hand...**THE TRADE**.

I could probably go on and on about just how wild the last decade or so has been for the Nets because inasmuch as I think I like the Nets, I absolutely LOVE just how stupid **THE TRADE** ended up becoming for the franchise. For those who don’t know, let me tell you a little bit about the Nets’ history (this may or may not be short):

Founded in 1967, the Nets were originally a member of the American Basketball Association - a "rival" to the NBA in the 1960s and 70s (like the AFL for the NFL or the WHA for the NHL). In 1976, the ABA merged with the NBA, and the Nets joined the NBA along with three other teams (the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, and San Antonio Spurs).

The Nets were somewhat nomadic in their ABA and early NBA days - moving from arena to arena in the New York area before eventually settling into an arena in the Meadowlands Sports Complex (where the Giants and Jets currently play). For the most part, they weren't all that successful in the NBA (though they did win two ABA titles), but there was a brief period in the early 2000s where they made back-to-back NBA Finals (but lost both).

In 2004, a real estate investor bought the team and announced plans to relocate them to Brooklyn, NY; however, funding issues plagued the proposed move (which made children like me hopeful they could stay in Jersey). Unfortunately for New Jersey, said funding issues were resolved when a wealthy Russian businessman bought the team in 2009 and provided funding for the construction of the arena. The Nets played a few final "lame duck" seasons at [the Prudential Center in Newark](2025-08-28_nysirens), then made the move to Brooklyn in 2012 - becoming the first "Major League" team in the borough since the departure of the Dodgers.

In their first year in Brooklyn, the Nets decided to suddenly be aggressive in terms of acquiring star talent from around the NBA (because OF FREAKIN' COURSE THEY DID)[^1]. This push saw them go from one of the worst teams in the NBA to the fourth best team in the Eastern Conference, but the team fell in the first round of the playoffs. In the wake of that playoff exit, management decided to continue to be aggressive in trying to win a title in the short term - thus...

## THE TRADE.

The Nets sent a handful of “lesser” players and several draft picks to the Boston Celtics (i.e. my hometown NBA team) in exchange for the Celtics’ best players - who had won a championship in 2008 and SHOULD’VE won a second two years later (grumble grumble). The belief now was that the Nets had the pieces to deal with the NBA’s “megavillains” at the time: LeBron James and the Miami Heat.

It didn’t work. Despite the Nets making the playoffs the first two years after the trade, they never made it to the Eastern Conference Finals (and actually won FEWER games each passing year). The players they got from the Celtics didn’t last long either; a large part of that being the fact that they were WELL past their primes (i.e. north of 35) while the core pieces of the aforementioned Heat (i.e. LeBron) hadn't reached 30 yet. In addition, the team was unable to add the pieces that were going to be necessary in order to sustain the team for ANY length of time - short or long.

By 2015, many of the players who made those first three years in Brooklyn successful were gone, and the team sank like a rock in the standings. They spent a few years languishing near the bottom of the NBA, but instead of being able to get young players to develop through the draft...the picks they traded to the Celtics were due. Not only had the Nets torched their own chances at a rebuild, they ended up giving the Celtics - who were on the rise at the time - access to the best players coming out of college, who did in fact become stars (something that is definitely deserving of more discussion - maybe if I visit the Sixers one day).

After several years of watching the Celtics rise to the upper echelons of the NBA with players who probably should’ve been Nets, the team chose once again to try and land marquee players - and they did! Heck, they even got a star FROM THE CELTICS who they had acquired using one of the Nets’ picks (IYKYK, but I sure as heck ain't saying who). Those marquee players got the team within literal inches of the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance since moving to Brooklyn, but came up just short[^2]. In the wake of that near miss...the team imploded again.

Now, the Nets are basically in full rebuild mode - trying to develop a young team to lead the franchise towards consistency and...losing a lot. They're at or near the bottom of several statistical categories in the league, and are currently the only team in the NBA with more than 10 sub-100 point games in the "anything less than 100 is AWFUL" NBA (which includes them posting the two lowest scores this season). With that territory, however, comes relatively inexpensive tickets[^3]; when I looked at the Nets’ schedule for 2025-26, this was the only afternoon game I could find that seemed doable for me, so I decided to go for it.

Part of the reason _this_ game was so cheap: it's against the Washington Wizards - another one of the East's bottom feeders (case in point: I went to the NBA Store in Midtown Manhattan about a month before this game and couldn't find any Nets OR Wizards jerseys). However, about a month before this game (and after my visit to the NBA Store), the Wizards shocked the NBA by acquiring one of the league's higher profile players, then subsequently added another well known name a few days before this game. However...neither of those guys played.

Anyway, now that I've discussed all of THAT, let's move on and actually start talking about the game/building itself. As mentioned earlier, Barclays Center has been the home of the Nets since they moved to Brooklyn back in 2012; in 2021, the New York Liberty (officially) moved in since the team was sold to Nets ownership a few years prior[^4]. It's also a fairly important building for the NBA as a whole - being the host of the NBA Draft each year since 2013 (except for 2020 when the draft was remote because of COVID). As a side note, I saw some parking options when I got my ticket and they were kinda expensive (partially due to city parking prices); however, the arena is right next to the subway PLUS a commuter rail terminal, so I assume a lot of people (myself included) are more likely to arrive by train rather than car[^5].

The arena features two concourses that both fully encircle the court. The main entrance (which faces a subway entrance) is at one of the ends of the court, and from what I could tell, a few luxury seats plus an area where the YES Network (which airs Nets games) does their desk segments (i.e. pregame and postgame).

The far end of the lower concourse as well as both ends of the upper concourse feature bar areas where fans can more easily watch the game with a drink in hand. I didn't really check these out too much, as I did something I rarely seem to do on this blog: spend most of the game in my seat. Also, the upper concourse only has concessions/merch on the "sides" of the court and basically nothing outside of bathrooms in the corners - and it also feels a bit narrow/cramped. One thing I must admit, however, is that even though I was in the upper deck, I REALLY liked this view:

![A view of Barclays Center from the upper deck](/images/2026/0207-arena.jpeg)

As for the game itself...

For a team as bad as the Nets, the crowd seemed rather decent. There were quite a lot of fans for this game, and they were cheering the Nets/booing every Wizards free throw throughout the game (and also banging thundersticks which were given out around half time).

I do not want to get into the idea of tanking here - i.e. trying to lose games to improve draft position. Fans don't like the idea of intentionally losing games (a Wizards fan in my row admitted as much), and there's an element of "rigging" involved which should - ESPECIALLY in the era of prop bets (i.e. betting on a player to reach certain statistical thresholds).

HOWEVER...

It's a bit difficult to gauge whether or not "tanking" is involved when the Wizards DELIBERATELY nerfed their own roster to HELL and trailed by 33 at half time, yet the Nets "only" won by 14 points - though that may just be due to these being two of the worst teams in the NBA...

Also, I found out that the NBA's shot clock features a secondary clock for timeouts to inform everyone of how much time is left before play is to resume - something I've never seen before and REALLY like (as I've tried to time breaks in the action for other sports in the past year).

![An image of the shot clock, which features a secondary clock for timeouts](/images/2026/0207-shotclock.jpeg)

### MERCH

I visited the arena's main store [one day last fall](2025-09-01_bkncyclones2); it was during the Liberty's season, so they were the "main team" at the time (but I didn't end up buying anything). I personally found it to be a bit on the small side and kinda hard to navigate, as the racks made the aisles fairly narrow (and the thing with this visit was that I was the only person browsing). One thing I did not remember from that last visit that I wish I did, however, was THIS:

![An image of a support beam blocking an aisle in the Barclays Center team store](/images/2026/0207-support.jpeg)

<figcaption>Not something you want to deal with in a crowded store</figcaption>

At this game, I was a little surprised to find that there were only five other merchandise areas in the arena: one just inside the main entrance, two on the upper concourse, a kids area, and what I can only describe as a "high end street wear" kiosk.

I've mentioned my relative lack of interest in basketball jerseys on this blog in the past, but one thing that irks me more than anything else: heat pressed/glued letters and numbers (which most replica jerseys nowadays feature in the NBA/MLB/NFL/NHL[^6]). I do feel like they LOOK a bit better than the old material (i.e. ironed-on rubber that fades after several turns through the laundry), but I always worry that they're going to fall off after a couple of washes, and once that happens the jersey is basically ruined (especially if you don't wash the jersey "the right way").

NBA "Authentic" jerseys do feature stitching, but I could not find ANY authentics at the team store. Maybe it's due to the Nets being, well, rather obscure, but while I did THINK about getting a jersey, I ended up not due to the heat pressed details plus the base material feeling "not right".

Also, I'm not sure where to mention this, but there was a VERY short lived mac and cheese spot here back when I was in college. I know this because I passed by it a few times when I was trying to see the team store back in the day (it was never open though), as their original location was right by my school[^7].

---

[^1]: Obligatory "\_\_\_\_ John Fisher" goes here - we'll see if he ever gets the A's to Vegas...

[^2]: Okay, so they didn’t actually make it to the Eastern Conference Finals that time, but had they made it there, there was little stopping them from getting to - and then likely winning - the Finals. Also, FWIW, the Nets have a perfect Eastern Conference Finals record - interpret that how you will.

[^3]: So...this isn't entirely true. Some games cost WAY MORE to get into - an issue [I wrote about last year](2025-09-12_onthefuture).

[^4]: The building also hosted the New York Islanders for a few years, but no one wants to relive the Barclays Center Hockey Experience...also, I'd like to see the Islanders someday, but I've heard that getting to their arena is a bit of a pain.

[^5]: NJ Transit decided to NJ Transit REAL hard (read: a downed tree causing 45 minute delays), so I ended up driving all the way to Jersey City and taking the PATH from there.

[^6]: I don't have as much "experience" with NHL replicas since 2017, but a lot of the replicas I've bought from before then do feature glued on logos. Conversely, MLB replicas up until about the mid 2010s were usually stitched, but I THINK they switched BEFORE Nike took over in 2020 - as evidenced by a few MLB replicas I've seen.

[^7]: RIP Elbow Room - you got me through so many days when I had night classes, but once the prices jumped to "probably out of reach for broke college students" a semester after they opened...


The NBA's Bad Boys - as in THESE TEAMS ARE TERRIBLE

Brooklyn Nets (National Basketball Association) @ Barclays Center (Brooklyn, NY)


### _[26 IN 26 STOP 3](26in26list)_

_\*This trip occurred on January 24, 2026._

The NBA G League: where NBA dreams go to...I’m honestly not sure how to finish this.

Unlike baseball and hockey, the NBA has only one “official” minor league: the G League. It's a rather "recent" development for the NBA: founded in 2001 as the National Basketball Developmental League (NBDL), it was renamed to the NBA Development League (or D-League) in 2005, then became the G League after a sponsorship deal with Gatorade, making it the first league in the United States to bear the name of a sponsor (and one of very few leagues in the United States to be named after a sponsor[^1]). Similar to the AHL, it is RARE for guys to end up becoming NBA mainstays from the G League; in fact, at least two infamous draft busts have ended up in the league - a move that all but killed their NBA careers.

Originally, teams in the league were independently owned and “affiliated” with NBA teams similar to how MLB/NHL teams are affiliated with minor league teams. However, as part of an initiative by the NBA to make the league more akin to other sports, NBA teams started setting up their own operations in the D-League, with many teams outright buying their affiliates (and in many cases moving them). Now, all but two NBA teams (the Nuggets and Rockets) own their G League affiliate (many of whom are either named after the parent team or in the same city), and there's also an "extra team" in Mexico City which lacks any NBA affiliation (meaning that the G League has 31 teams versus the NBA's 30)[^2]. With that in mind, let’s focus on the team at hand: the Westchester Knicks.

Established in 2014 when the New York Knicks entered the G League via expansion (i.e. not a relocation of another team), the Westchester Knicks have some kinda random titles that I don’t fully understand because for some reason, the G League has a bunch of tournaments besides the main championship series (though something to keep in mind with “minor league” teams: championships aren’t exactly a “goal to be strived for”). What is easier for me to discuss, however, is their home: the Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY.

![An image of the Westchester County Center](/images/2026/20260124-outside.jpeg)

The third oldest arena in the G League, the Westchester County Center was opened in 1930 - sixteen years before the NBA was founded. It’s hosted a LOT of things in the almost 100 years since it opened - I won’t get into all of them, but one that is relevant to the Knicks is that the New York Liberty played their final year as the Knicks’ WNBA sister team here before being sold to Nets ownership (and then played a second year in Westchester before moving to Brooklyn). There are at least eight "meeting rooms" and a smaller theater area within the building, but I didn't even bother trying to access any of them during the game (I think they were used for "behind the scenes things"), so I'll focus purely on the main event space.

The layout here is, to be fully honest, actually kinda interesting: there isn't exactly a "seating bowl" here as the venue is basically an auditorium which is converted for basketball use, and there are VERY FEW lower level seats; only one side of the court has more than one row of seats, and the rest seems to be premium seating - including the stage. Most of the "standard" seats, then, are in the balcony, and as a theater, they're a bit more "luxurious" that what you'd expect from upper deck seating (being quite padded). One MAJOR drawback of sitting up here, however: you don't get to see the full court from pretty much anywhere, but it's more pronounced if you're sitting at the end (which is probably why those are the least expensive tickets).

Thanks to the building's many uses, there's no center hung board here. Instead, there are three massive screens here; two on the stage end show the action/replays, while one above the entrance acts as the main scoreboard. There was also a television in the lobby showing the game, but the feed was INCREDIBLY choppy. Both floor level and balcony level have their own concession stands (pretty much in the same spot), and similar to [Maimonides Park](2025-08-09_bkncyclones), it's "branded" as Nathan's Famous. I ended up getting things from both stands at various points during the game, and the line for the upper stand was notably longer than the lower stand (and from what I heard, it seems like this was the case throughout the night).

![An image of the interior of the Westchester County Center](/images/2026/20260124-inside.jpeg)

<figcaption>It's a little hard to see in this image, but the near baseline is impossible to see from this vantage point - thus, you end up missing a lot of corner threes</figcaption>

One thing to think about if you want to come here: there’s parking lots for the building as it's operated by Westchester County's parks department (and is right next to the Bronx River Parkway), but it costs $15 to park in them for games (which is almost the same as the ticket prices)[^3]. There is street parking available nearby, but I've heard not-so-great things about White Plains, so I wasn't sure about that (plus it's a total crapshoot if you actually manage to get a spot, and you have to cross a busy street to get to the arena).

This trip has been "yanked around" my calendar quite a bit. For starters, it was always more likely that I'd come here rather than trying to get into a New York Knicks game thanks to the NBA Knicks being one of the better teams in the league (plus Madison Square Garden being, well, Madison Square Garden)\*. When I first looked at the Westchester Knicks' schedule near the end of 2025 (i.e. when I first thought about coming here), I saw a game on New Years Day - one I almost went to until ultimately deciding against it (partially due to plans I had the next day plus the fact that [I had been somewhere a few days prior](2025-12-31_sacredhearthockey_mens)). I then thought about going on January 9 due to a potential conflict with the [Bridgeport Islanders](2026-01-12_bptislanders) game I had planned to go to that weekend, but then that got resolved and I was able to go to the Islanders game[^4], so I decided not to go then. I did look at other dates, but ultimately ended up landing on this one - partially as my intended game for today got cancelled (in fact, I ended up getting a ticket at the door which saved me a bit of money because Ticketmaster).

To be honest, I realized something: I don't know how I feel about the NBA/the live basketball experience. I realize that might be a bit controversial, but like I said [the first time basketball was on this blog](2025-11-25_rubasketball_womens), it's a little hard to get excited about individual baskets when SO MANY of them happen during a game (unlike other sports). This game...did not do much to help move the needle: I kinda liked the "vibes" of the arena (minus the obstructed views from the balcony), but the Knicks got blown out by their opponents thanks to a combination of the opponent hitting over 50% of their shots plus the Knicks not being able to handle the ball very well (though that may just be a G League thing...); also, both teams got to 100 points because OF COURSE.

One last thing I want to mention: the G League is also where the NBA tests out potential rule changes (Minor League Baseball does this too for baseball, but i'm not sure if the AHL and ECHL do this for hockey). The most notable one (at least in the context of this game) is the "one free throw" rule: in instances where a player would shoot multiple free throws (i.e. getting fouled while shooting), the player instead shoots one free throw that, if made, scores however many points the shot would have made (for example, if someone was fouled while shooting a three, the one free throw they take would count for THREE points). There's a bit more to this rule that's kinda hard to explain, but in short: free throws after made baskets (aka "and ones") are still one point, I'm not sure how this would work for technical fouls as one WAS called during the game but the free throw was missed, and this rule does not apply in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter or in overtime (which has its own unique rules in the G League, though that didn't come up because 21-point margin)[^5]. I think this helped shorten the game a bit, as it ended sometime around 9:15 PM (I was expecting to be out MUCH later than I was, which helps because we're getting buried in snow right now).

(And if you’re wondering about the Nets’ G League team, they’re at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. That’s a bit too far for me I think...)

### MERCH

I’m not sure if it’s surprising or not that G League teams sell merchandise - after all, it is a way to connect fans to the team (and also something they can get signed after games).

What isn’t super surprising, however, is the fact that said merchandise...is okay at best. At the game, it's sold at a table near the entrance of the auditorium (i.e. NOT in the lobby), and it's mainly a fairly limited selection of hats, shirts, and a few novelties (by which I mean only three: a mini basketball, a teddy bear, and a rally towel). I did see a photo somewhere online of the merch table having jerseys, but none were available at the game I went to.

I personally found that a number of the items felt like they were overpriced, but one thing to note: it seems that unlike other fan amenities here, the merch table is controlled by Madison Square Garden Sports (AKA the controlling company that owns the Knicks). They use MSG bags if you choose to get one (I didn't), and thanks to the company's relationship with Chase Bank, you can get a small discount if you use a Chase debit or credit card when you buy things.

---

\*As a small side note, St. John's men's basketball also plays at MSG (plus one specific women's game); there's a game in a few weeks that I am thinking about going to (either that or the women's game), but tickets are surprisingly pricey because MSG (and also probably Rick Pitino[^6]).

---

[^1]: The only other league I can think of is the Gainbridge Super League - a women's soccer league [I saw once](2025-11-09_bkfc_womens).

[^2]: Fun fact: there’s a “San Diego Clippers” currently in the G League - if you know basketball history, then you’ll know why that is SUPER ironic...

[^3]: I had read online that they were cash only (and I did pay cash), but it seemed like they could have taken card.

[^4]: It's a good thing I went to that game, as a few days before this was posted, the rumored move to Canada was seemingly confirmed.

[^5]: Another rule that came up: both teams get two challenges a game, and to challenge a call requires using a timeout - irregardless of whether or not the challenge is successful (i.e. winning a challenge does not "return" your timeout).

[^6]: Personal story time!<br>When Pitino was coaching Louisville, they had a practice in my high school's gymnasium during my senior year - I distinctly remember seeing him in sweatpants and thinking it was kinda funny. Louisville ended up losing to Seton Hall that evening, and coupled with another team losing at Seton Hall a few days later, I made a comment that more teams should practice at our high school.<br>_Source: trust me bro aka Facebook posts from when I was in high school (aka when I was EXTRA cringe)._


Sportventures

Da Rules

Danbury Hat Tricks (2/14/26)

The Process

Brooklyn Nets (2/7/26)

Westchester Knicks (1/24/26)