Nets, New York City to reward city employees with free tickets to upcoming games

New York City is honoring its workforce by distributing 9,000 tickets to interested employees for three upcoming home games at the Barclays Center, reports the Brooklyn Paper.

Tickets for Tuesday’s game vs. the Toronto Raptors, next Sunday’s game against the Orlando Magic, and the December 21 game against the Washington Wizards will be available under a set-aside program designed by the team and city to reward employees for their efforts during the pandemic.

“City employees serve New Yorkers every day, building a recovery for all and ensuring New York City remains the fairest and safest big city in the world,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. “The City Employee Appreciation game nights are a slam dunk and I’m grateful to the Brooklyn Nets for their partnership to honor our City workers.”

“This initiative is part of our continued efforts to be the team for hardworking New Yorkers by ensuring that our games are accessible to everyone,” said Nets and BSE Global CEO John Abbamondi. “Additionally, during a time when bringing large groups together safely in-person can be challenging, Barclays Center events can serve as a way for people to gather and enjoy the holidays or celebrate other special moments in a vaccinated environment.”

The Nets also honored essential workers last year, including frontline city employees, health care workers, and food service workers, the Paper noted.

Norman Oder, critic and chronicler of the overall Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park project, noted in his report on the giveaway that two of the three games are unlikely to be sellouts and so the program is likely to boost Nets attendance as well as reward city employees.

Any city employee is eligible for tickets as long as they can prove they’ve had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, in keeping with the city’s mandate for indoor entertainment venues Eligible employees will receive an email with a link to express which games they’d want to go to. While the overwhelming majority of city workers have been vaccinated, a number of them are awaiting rulings on exemptions.

• CITY TO GIVE AWAY 9,000 NETS TICKETS TO MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES IN DECEMBER - Ben Brachfeld - Brooklyn Paper
• Boosting Brooklyn Nets’ attendance, three games (9,000 total tickets) of freebies to New York City employees - Norman Oder - Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Report