Wednesday's announcement that the Atlantic-10 Tournament is coming to the Barclays Center in 2013 is more than jst a mid-major tournament changing venues. It's further evidence that the Nets and Barclays Center (which after all are the same people with different ownership percentages) are both looking for creases in Madison Square Garden's armor.
Following Monday's Jay-Z extravaganza, it's another subtle move on MSG's sports primacy and particularly its primacy in college basketball. College hoops has long been a big ticket item for the Garden, with the Holiday Tournament and NIT (once a bigger deal than the NCAA's) Garden creations.
Now in short order, the Nets have added Coaches vs. Cancer and the Atlantic-10, an early season event and a major mid-major tournament. The Barclays Center has a long way to go in matching the Garden, but there's little doubt now it's in the game.
- Atlantic 10 moving tourney to Brooklyn in 2013 - AP
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A-10 tournament bound for Brooklyn in 2013 - Lenn Robbins - New York Post
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Atlantic 10 Tournament move to Brooklyn is official - Philadephia Daily News