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HISTORY:

Not since the Dodgers left for Los Angeles in 1957 has Brooklyn had a major pro sports team. That has changed for the 2012-13 season, as the Brooklyn Nets take the court at the new Barclays Center in the heart of the borough. The Nets, founded in 1967, were an original franchise in the American Basketball Association, and played their first games in Teaneck, N.J. The Nets have long taken a back seat to the Big Apple's Knicks and most recently shared Prudential Center in Newark (2010-12) with the New Jersey Devils after a similar arena arrangement with the NHL franchise in the Meadowlands for nearly three decades. The Nets announced plans to move to Brooklyn in 2005.

Barclays Center, named after the Barclays banking and financial institution, is part of a $4.9 billion Atlantic Yards sports, entertainment and housing project. Barclays reportedly paid $400 million over 20 years for naming rights.

The new arena also is expected to compete with the iconic Madison Square Garden for major events in New York City. Barclays will be home to the Atlantic 10 Conference basketball tournament, many major musical performances, Ringling Bros. Circus and many boxing matches.

In addition to basketball and concerts, the NHL's New York Islanders, whose lease expires with the Nassau Coliseum in 2015, are among the teams that could possibly call Barclays Center home. The Islanders and Devils were scheduled to play a preseason game at Barclays on Oct. 2, 2012, before the NHL canceled the remainder of the league's preseason games as collective-bargaining talks were set to resume.

Did you know:

Although he owns less than 1 percent of the team, rapper and Brooklyn native Jay-Z is one of the more public faces of the franchise. He opened the arena with eight nights of concerts. Jay-Z also helped design the team's new logo and inspired several elements of the team's new look and the arena.

The Nets have tried to fashion their own identity with a herringbone-pattern court. The team also is trying to add to its expanding brand with "BROOKLYNNETS.COM" stamped in front of the home bench and "@BROOKLYNNETS", a reference to the official Twitter account, in front of the visitors' bench.

Brooklyn, with some 2.5 million residents the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, would be the fourth largest city in the country.

Sources: Barclays Center, Brooklyn Nets

SEATING NOTES:

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Address:

620 Atlantic Avenue.
Brooklyn, NY 11217

Directions:

For directions to Barclays Center, consult the website.

Parking:

Parking is limited near Barclays Center and public transportation is encouraged. For details and a map on parking, consult the Click and Park website .

Transportation:

A total of 11 subway and bus lines serve Barclays Center as does the Long Island Rail Road. For details on taking public transportation, consult the website .