Barclays Center – Home of the Brooklyn Nets | Arena Guide

Barclays Center represents the perfect fusion of cutting-edge design and Brooklyn's cultural renaissance, serving as the dynamic home of the Brooklyn Nets since 2012. This $1 billion architectural masterpiece at 620 Atlantic Avenue was designed by award-winning firms AECOM and SHoP Architects, creating one of the most visually striking and environmentally conscious venues in professional sports. Opening on September 28, 2012, with eight consecutive sold-out JAY-Z performances, Barclays Center immediately established itself as a premier destination for both basketball and entertainment. The arena's innovative design features black seats, walls, floors, and ceiling that create a dramatic, intimate atmosphere for its 17,732 basketball capacity while maintaining excellent sightlines from every seat. Barclays Center earned LEED Silver Certification, becoming the first professional sports venue in the New York metro area to achieve this environmental distinction. The facility's ground-level design creates an open, welcoming connection to the street, with the arena floor positioned below grade to allow views of the bowl and scoreboard from both the entry and the plaza outside. Located at the crossroads of Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues, Barclays Center anchors the Pacific Park development while providing seamless access via the Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center subway station. The venue has garnered critical acclaim and numerous awards, including the 2012 Pollstar Award for Best New Major Concert Venue and the 2013 Sports Business Awards Facility of the Year.

Barclays Center was conceived as part of the ambitious Atlantic Yards (later Pacific Park) development project in Brooklyn, which faced years of community debate and planning challenges before breaking ground in 2010. The arena was designed by AECOM, with SHoP Architects responsible for the distinctive exterior design — a weathered Cor-Ten steel facade that references Brooklyn's industrial heritage and develops a natural patina over time. The $1 billion project was developed by Forest City Ratner Companies and funded through a combination of private investment and public financing. When Barclays Center opened on September 28, 2012, it was the first major professional sports venue to open in New York City since the original Madison Square Garden in 1968. JAY-Z performed eight sold-out inaugural concerts before the Nets played their first game, establishing the venue immediately as a global entertainment destination. The arena was built at the junction of Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues, directly above the Atlantic Avenue subway station, creating one of the most transit-accessible arena locations anywhere in professional sports. The Nets relocated from the New Jersey Meadowlands to become the Brooklyn Nets, the first NBA team based in Brooklyn since the old Brooklyn Dodgers basketball team in 1946. In 2019, Mikhail Prokhorov sold controlling interest in the arena and team to a consortium that included Joseph Tsai. The New York Liberty (WNBA) relocated to Barclays Center in 2021, and the arena claimed the additional distinction of hosting the Liberty's first WNBA Championship in 2024.

Barclays Center's atmosphere is shaped by its distinctive all-black interior — black seats, black walls, black ceiling — which gives the arena an unusually dramatic and moody character among NBA venues. The compact design and relatively modest 17,732 capacity concentrate noise and energy effectively, particularly during rivalry games against the New York Knicks. The pre-game plaza on Atlantic Avenue and Flatbush is a busy gathering point, with food vendors, fan entertainment, and the striking exterior of the building serving as a backdrop. Inside, the concourse bars are a central part of the game-day social experience. The Brooklyn fanbase, still growing its identity separate from its New York roots, generates genuine passion especially for marquee matchups. The public plaza's open design allows passers-by to see into the arena, creating a unique street-level connection to the event. For the most electric atmospheres, attend rivalry games against the Knicks (the defining Brooklyn–Manhattan tension) or high-stakes playoff games.

Barclays Center offers behind-the-scenes arena tours primarily during the NBA off-season. Tours cover the arena bowl, locker rooms, press areas, and premium suites, exploring both the arena's operational side and its award-winning architectural design. Standard tours cost approximately $25 for adults and $15 for children and run approximately 60 minutes. Group tours (10 or more) are available year-round with advance booking. Book via barclayscenter.com.