Islanders ditch unpopular new goal horn, go back to 'Coliseum horn'
The Islanders will have a familiar sound after their goals at their new home in Brooklyn. Barclays Center is dropping the goal horn it just debuted this week in favor of the old goal horn from Veterans Coliseum.
By
Chris Peters
•
2 min read
When the New York Islanders scored the only goal of a 3-1 exhibition loss against the Washington Capitals, it marked the debut of Barclays Center’s new goal horn. The shrill horn was immediately met with derision on social media, which included a very boisterous group of Islanders fans unhappy with the new horn.
If you can bear to listen, this is what all the fuss was about:
Introducing the new @nyislanders goal horn that we worked on with the MTA. pic.twitter.com/PcAwbuIAVc
— Barclays Center (@barclayscenter) September 29, 2015
Apparently Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark heard the message loud and clear. The new goal horn has been shelved in favor of the familiar blaring horn that was used at the Isles' former home, the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale. Yormark confirmed the news on the Michael Kay Show:
@brettyormark on the @NYIslanders goal horn "it will be opening night and the season" so they are going back to the original
— Michael Kay Show YES (@TMKSonYES) October 1, 2015
It’s a smart move even though there’s really nothing wrong with trying to create some new traditions specific to the team’s existence in Brooklyn. There are certain things that fans grow attached to. The goal horn is definitely one of those things among Islanders fans, if the wide outcry against the new horn was any indication.
@brettyormark on @NYIslanders "we've listened to the fans and we take it very seriously"....."at the same time we must broaden the fanbase"
— Michael Kay Show YES (@TMKSonYES) October 1, 2015
Barclays Center apparently worked with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on the new horn which sounded like a mixture of a blaring subway train and a 1999 Ford Escort.
The first years of the team playing in Brooklyn will be challenging for longtime fans. Change is hard, especially considering the deep emotional ties fans have with a franchise that was so much a part of Long Island. There will be a time where fans will have to grow more comfortable with new things in Brooklyn and new traditions and more change.
@brettyormark "I need Islander fans to understand there must be a balance" on preserving the history but also including Brooklyn
— Michael Kay Show YES (@TMKSonYES) October 1, 2015
This was one item, however, that pretty much no one was ready to accept. It was probably the right call to go back to the familiar drone of the old goal horn and let the fans have their way on this one.
And to be fair to Isles fans, it wasn't just them that didn't like the new horn. It was pretty much anyone with ears.
