The Daily Newarker

Star Ledger: Deal to have NJ Nets play two years at Prudential Center days away from governor’s desk

We’re so close. My bet is that if the Nets play the next two years in Newark, and continue to see the fan base grow and rail use come up to levels we’re seeing with the Devils, that we might see them even back out of the Barclay’s Center in 2012.

The Nets played two preseason games on Oct. 13 and 21 at “The Rock,” and both were surprisingly successful, as roughly 28,000 tickets were sold with assistance from Mayor Cory Booker’s office.

The team was delighted, especially upon learning that 13 percent of its patrons used rail service to attend the games. In remarks about the Prudential Center weeks later, Yormark described the facility as “terrific,” with “great new amenities. The fans seem to really enjoy it.” And he was encouraged that there would be a “big concentration of fans from Essex, Middlesex and Union counties, which we don’t typically draw a lot from.”

The Nets plan to move to Brooklyn in 2012.