FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 23, 2018
MEDIA CONTACTS: Carole Trottere, Rebecca Cheng, Vicki DiStefano and Matt Leonenko | (516) 869-7794
North Hempstead Extends Partnership with the Long Island Nets
North Hempstead, NY – North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth, Council Member Viviana Russell and the Town Board, approved extending a contract with the Long Island Nets at the October 11 Town Board meeting which will allow the team to continue to use the “Yes We Can” Community Center for team practices and events from October 15 through March 31, 2019.
The Long Island Nets have been using the “Yes We Can” Community Center as their official practice facility since October, 2017. As part of the renewal agreement, the Nets will pay a licensing fee for the use of the “Yes We Can” Community Center for their team practice and athletic training for two hours a day, up to five days a week. The facility will also be opened to visiting teams to host a practice for two hours a day, one day a week.
“We are so pleased that the Long Island Nets are continuing to call North Hempstead their home and are using our state of the art community center for their practices,” said Supervisor Bosworth. “The Nets organization and its players are so generous with their time and outreach to our youth. The basketball clinics and tickets to the many athletic events have resulted in wonderful, growing experiences for our North Hempstead children.”
“As we continue to lay roots on Long Island, we are thrilled that our team practices at a local facility that has the necessary infrastructure and access for our community to grow the game of basketball and our fanbase," said Alton Byrd, VP of Business Operations, Long Island Nets. “Through our partnership with the Town of North Hempstead and the ‘Yes We Can’ Community Center, we can continue to provide access and opportunity to the game of basketball and community programs to youth of all ages regardless of financial means.”
The team will also continue to hold many free community programs to residents throughout the year, including the “Season of Giving” initiatives like the Holiday Tree and Menorah lighting at “Yes We Can.” In addition to social responsibility programming, the Long Island Nets will once again host free youth basketball clinics in locations throughout the Town.
The partnership will also once again provide Long Island Nets tickets to children who are a part of the Town’s summer recreation program, the Martin “Bunky” Reid Park summer program and the after school program held at the “Yes We Can” Community Center, as well as providing transportation when needed. In addition to this, the team is offering each individual who participated in the 3 clinics at Town of North Hempstead Parks (Broadway, Petrus and Donald Street) this past summer two free tickets to their home opener on November 3 as the Nets host the Westchester Knicks.
About the Long Island Nets
The Long Island Nets are the NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets. In the team’s inaugural 2016-17 season, the Long Island Nets played home games at Barclays Center and practiced at HSS Training Center in Brooklyn. NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which recently reopened after extensive renovation, is the permanent home for the team beginning with the 2017-18 season. For more information, please visit longislandnets.com and follow @longislandnets on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.