NBA's Nets are costing fans more than just a wasted basketball season

January 06, 2010 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

Author: Nicholas M. Gieseler

The 3-31 record posted thus far by the New Jersey Nets isn't the only thing making some Nets fans cringe this basketball season.  For Brooklyn resident Daniel Goldstein, the grief the Nets are causing him has nothing to do with jump shots and rebounds.  Mr. Goldstein and his family are among the few holdouts unwilling to move from the property needed by the Nets franchise to build their new arena.

The Goldsteins' resistance to sell has been met with fire by the ownership of the New Jersey Nets as well as government authorities.  After failed attempts to negotiate legitimately for sale of the property, the government has begun eminent domain proceedings.  As George Will wrote last Sunday in the Washington Post, the government is attempting to seize the property on the claim that the area is blighted.  The assertion of blight by the government seems somewhat dubious when considering that the property is apparently nice enough for a major sports franchise to spend half a billion dollars to make it their home. 

The best advice for Mr. Goldstein may be to get out while he still can.  Anyone who has seen the Nets play this season can tell him that if his property is not yet blighted, it soon will be once that team moves into town.