1. Citi Field
The Islanders have reportedly discussed having their next arena next to Citi Field. This would make sense for a lot of reasons. First of all, it keeps the Isles in New York City, so more money for them. Secondly, the traffic is a pain, but not more of a pain than NYC traffic usually is. Also, there’s a subway stop at Citi Field, so public transportation wouldn’t be much of an issue. New York does a good job of preparing for Mets fans overflowing the subway, so that should help as well.
Why it could work: As mentioned, this is the only way the Isles are staying in New York City. If they want to explore Elmont, Belmont Park is a solid option. But there’s less money there. And the Islanders will need to pay a lot of money to keep Tavares. Why not go with the option that is by far the safest and will get you more money?
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Why it might not work: The Isles have a lot of fans in Long Island upset about the team moving. Sure, Nassau didn’t end well for them. But it was a part of their history and something to be proud of. Using their “get out of jail free” card to move into the Bronx would not be a popular move with the fans. Considering the Islanders are third to last in attendance, they should be weary about alienating their fan base at this point.