Newark, NJ – As the Nets prepared to say goodbye to New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie bid the Brooklyn-bound NBA team good riddance.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The typically blunt Christie said he would shed no tears over the departure of the Nets, who played their final home game of the season Monday night against the Philadelphia 76ers as they prepare to move to New York next season.
“My message to them is, goodbye,” Christie said at an afternoon news conference at Newark Beth Israel Hospital where he signed a bill to promote organ and tissue donation. “You don’t want to stay, we don’t want you.”
The Nets have played the last two of their 35 years in New Jersey in Newark at the Prudential Center Arena, the high-tech home built by the city of Newark and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils in 2007.
The Nets’ owners in the 1990s had sought to move the team to Newark from the Meadowlands but couldn’t work out financing a new arena. They eventually sold the franchise in 2004 to real estate developer Bruce Ratner, whose plan all along was to move the team to Brooklyn, and the Nets wound up in Newark as they waited for the Barclays Center in Brooklyn to be completed.
Christie scoffed at the team’s decision to choose New York over New Jersey.
“That’s one of the most beautiful arenas in America they have a chance to play in, it’s in one of the country’s most vibrant cities, and they want to leave here and go to Brooklyn?” he asked. “Good riddance, see you later. I think there’ll be some other NBA team who may be looking to relocate and they might look at that arena and the fan base in the New Jersey and New York area and say, ‘This is an opportunity to increase our fan base and try something different.'”
Nets coach Avery Johnson was more charitable when asked if he sympathized with fans who had been following the team for years.
“I do in a lot of ways because you have some fans who have really been here, supporting the Nets,” he said before the game. “You had fans who were here through the 12-win season, losing twice in the finals and that’s really rough. It’s tough getting there, but it’s tough when you lose in the finals. I have been a part of a team that lost in the finals, but they continued to come back.”
Told of Christie’s comments, Johnson said: “Well again, everyone has an opinion. We’re moving on. Hopefully, we’ll move on and be successful.”
Brooklyn gives a warm welcome to the Nets. As for Mr. Xtie, you resemble an oversized basketball.
Please Governor Christie, a little class would be welcome. Just say thanks for the 35 years, goodbye and good luck, no need for sour grapes.
Gov thinks another NBA team will move to NJ?? NO WAY that will happen. The Nets weren’t supported. Granted the meadowlands is not an easy place to get to unless you have a car & were willing to fork over 10 bucks or more for parking.
I have been a Nets fan all my life and I agree 100% with the Governor. They have been an awful franchise for 30 of the 35 years they where here. Cant wait for the New Jersey Bobcats soon enough. As for Brooklyn, D-Will will go to Dallas and the Knick fans wont jump ship for the Nets. The end result will be a bad team in Brooklyn with no fans.