New York Islanders Fans Stealing Seats From Nassau Coliseum

New York Islanders fans have reportedly been stealing seats from Nassau Coliseum knowing the team will be moving to Brooklyn next season.

New York Islanders fans have been stealing seats from Nassau Coliseum.

According to an April 21 CBS New York update, the said fans are taking away seats, cushions, seat backs and whole seats “just pried right out of their frames.”

Washington D.C. sports photographer Chris Kerwin tweeted on Monday that some Islanders fans used tools to get what they wanted during Game 3 of the ongoing first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series between the hometown Islanders and Washington Capitals:

Good seats available!
Fans took seats from Nassau Coliseum last game, sometimes using tools to pry their prize. #Caps pic.twitter.com/lVNnK7zVpb— dckerwin (@dckerwin) April 20, 2015

The Islanders, who have played their home games at Nassau Coliseum for the past 43 years, are moving to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center next season, per CBS New York.

With this, some of their fans wanted a part of Nassau Coliseum they can cherish. 

“If security didn’t warn me not to do it,” an Islanders fan told CBS New York on Tuesday. “I want mine, because I’ve had my season tickets for seven years.”

Another fan said,”This is the last year at the Coliseum, we are New Yorkers. What do you expect?”

Nassau Coliseum management told CBS2’s Carolyn Gusoff (via CBS New York) it is already on top of the necessary repairs. New coliseum owner Forest City Ratner said there is still no decision on whether the venue will auction off the remaining seats once renovations are underway.

In addition, some Captials fans who attended Game 3 in New York claimed “they suffered verbal abuse, threats and vehicular vandalism,” per CBS New York.

A separate CBS New York update obtained a statement from the Islanders regarding the fan threats, which also reportedly included racist and homophobic remarks:

“We are disappointed by the reported actions of a select group of fans that attended Game 3 on Sunday afternoon. The alleged racist or homophobic remarks directed at several Washington Capitals fans are by no means associated with or supported by the New York Islanders organization.

“Islanders fans, who are made up of the best of the world’s melting pot, are some of the most respectful, passionate and knowledgeable in the NHL. The inappropriate actions of a few individuals does not represent Islanders fans as a whole. We expect our fans to continue to be the loudest and most respectful fans in the NHL.”

Nate “Igor” Smith, a Capitals fan from Brooklyn, was on hand with some friends for Game 3 at Nassau Coliseum on April 19. They claim they were on the receiving end of threats from Islanders fans and when they got back to their vehicle, its rear license plate was nowhere to be found, per The New York Daily News’ Stephen Lorenzo. 

Smith dubbed that “the worst experience I have had in 30 years of attending sports events” in an open letter he wrote for the Islanders organization.  

He also considers the Islanders statement “absurd” in an email to The New York Daily News:

“I think their statement is absurd. Obviously the actions of a few people don’t represent the entire organization but they don’t speak to the vandalism, or the security issues and they certainly don’t apologize or reach out to us in any way.

“The statement implies that we were upset about the comments from fans. Racist and homophobic remarks just speak to their ignorance. We were upset about the vandalism, throwing of beer and threats of violence.”

Smith, an adult industry photographer, told Lorenzo he also sent a copy of his letter to the Islanders in the hopes they would beef up security for the playoff games. However, he has yet to hear back from them.

The Capitals tied the series at 2-2 after Nicklas Backstrom’s overtime goal propelled Washington to a 2-1 win in Game 4 on Tuesday. Game 5 is set for Thursday, April 23, at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. at 7 p.m. ET, per the Islanders’ official website. 

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