Tensions between the U.S. and Russia may be at their highest since the end of the Cold War, but the Nets ownership still wants to bring their NBA team to Russia, presumably to Moscow, hometown of Mikhail Prokhorov as well as others in the ownership structure.
"We very much want, not only preseason games, but official season games in Moscow," Irina Pavlova, Prokhorov's U.S. representative, recently told Jared Feldschreiber of Russia Behind the Headlines. "We firmly believe that the NBA’s future is a global one."
She did not set a timetable. The Nets have made only one foray into Russia, back in the 2011 preseason, stopping in Moscow for a practice on their way to two preseason games in China. One reason there's been few regular season games in Europe outside London is that European arenas are subpar, both in terms of size and quality. At this point, there is no NBA-quality arena in Russia. So the notion of games being played in Moscow or St. Petersburg is moot, political difficulties aside.
Pavlova spoke as well as about how the team is committed to Brooklyn.
"I’m proud to say we do lots of community outreach. The Nets are often visiting schools, community centers and local sports facilities, engaging with Brooklynites… We want every Brooklynite, every New Yorker to feel that Barclays Center is his or her arena. And for visitors from all over the world to feel welcome."
With so much business success, however Jake Appleman, author of "Brooklyn Bounce" about the Nets' first year in Brooklyn, thinks it's time for a change in goals.
"It would be nice to see Prokhorov and his team take more of a proactive role in shifting the organization’s philosophy from business-runs-basketball to basketball-runs-business, although that might be too much to ask of a billion-dollar entity in the corporate sphere," Appleman said.
The other issue, of course, is what the team's ownership will look like in the long term.
- Mikhail Prokhorov, Brooklyn Nets continue their championship quest - Jared Feldschreiber - Russia Behind the Headlines