The Roaming Photographer: Brooklyn Nets

Photo Credit: https://1000logos.net/brooklyn-nets-logo/

The Brooklyn Nets were founded in 1967 and initially played in Teaneck, New Jersey, as the New Jersey Americans. In its early years, the team led a nomadic existence, moving to Long Island in 1968 and playing in various arenas there as the New York Nets⁽¹⁾.

Led by Hall of Famer Julius “Dr. J” Erving, the Nets won two American Basketball Association (ABA) championships in New York before becoming one of four ABA teams to be admitted into the NBA as part of the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. Unlike the other three ABA teams entering the NBA, who played in cities without any NBA presence, the Nets were required to pay an “encroachment fee” of $4.8 million (equivalent to $26 million in 2023) to the New York Knicks⁽²⁾. The team financed that payment be selling Erving’s contract to the Philadelphia 76ers⁽³⁾; and the Nets went from winning the ABA title in 1975-1976 to having the worst record in the NBA in 1976-1977. The team then moved back to New Jersey in 1977 and became the New Jersey Nets⁽⁴⁾⁽⁵⁾. During their time in the state, the Nets played two consecutive NBA Finals in the 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 seasons, led on the court by point guard Jason Kidd.

After playing 35 seasons in New Jersey, the team moved back to New York, changed its geographic name to Brooklyn, and began playing at the Barclays Center, starting with the 2012-2013 NBA season⁽⁶⁾⁽⁷⁾. The team’s move from New Jersey to Brooklyn was approved unanimously by the NBA Board of Governors on April 13^th, 2012⁽⁸⁾.