The parent company for the New York Liberty and Brooklyn Nets plans to open a new youth basketball training complex, right across from the Barclays Center.

BSE Global, which owns both teams, is managing the construction of the facility, which is set to open this fall and be operated by Brooklyn Basketball, its community youth sports program. At the moment, the site is occupied by an abandoned Modell’s Sporting Goods, which shuttered in 2020 after the company went bankrupt.

The 18,600-square-foot site will provide new after-school programs for local youth, training camps, clinics and a homework area, according to an announcement from the company.

The announcement described the programs as a “community-first basketball experience” but didn’t clarify whether it would charge for those programs. BSE didn’t immediately return a message Tuesday seeking more details. It said the programs would complement Brooklyn Basketball’s existing community programming, which includes partnerships for programs in more than 200 city schools, as well as community clinics across Brooklyn.

The new facility will include two full courts, a “shooting lab” half-court and multipurpose court flooring for other events, the company said. It said there would be programs for kids 6 to 10 years old on weekdays, including all-girls training on Wednesdays.

“The Brooklyn Basketball Training Center is a game-changer, not just for basketball, but for the entire Brooklyn community,” the New York Liberty’s head coach Sandy Brondello said in the statement. “It’s about giving the next generation a space to learn the fundamentals, be inspired, and create the sense of community that basketball so brilliantly provides.”

BSE originally announced the site in September, along with a schematic of how the facility will be laid out, as described by news blog Atlantic Yards Report at the time.

Residents of the surrounding neighborhoods are still waiting for another nearby project to get underway.

The development firm Greenland was supposed to deck over the railyards east of the Barclays Center and build hundreds of affordable apartments by the end of May or face millions of dollars in monthly penalties, according to the terms of a legally binding agreement from 2014. Greenland and its investors have yet to break ground on the project.

David Brand contributed to this story.

Chattanooga Tourism Co. will conduct the first of two site visits with sports tourism facilities assessment consultants in June as part of a strategic study to evaluate Hamilton County’s tournament-ready venues and identify development opportunities.

The assessment comes on the heels of securing hosting rights for TSSAA tennis championships in 2026-2027, adding to Chattanooga Tourism Co.’s growing sports portfolio that benefits visitors and residents alike.

“We compete with every other city to bring sports tournaments and special events to Chattanooga, and we need to remain competitive,” said Chattanooga Tourism Co. CEO Barry White. “Great sports facilities help us attract new events and retain the events, like the NCAA softball national championship, which are already in our portfolio. In turn, Chattanoogans benefit by having well-equipped sports facilities nearby that their families can use.”

Overall, tourism generates $1.7 billion in annual visitor spending in Hamilton County and saves local households an average of $1,205 in taxes each year. Sports tourism remains a strategic focus, supported by dedicated sales and event production teams.

Chattanooga Tourism Co. helped bring 102 sports events with 220,000 attendees to the area in 2024, including Ironman 70.3, Head of the Hooch rowing regatta, TSSAA Girls’ Soccer State Championships, BlueCross Bowl TSSAA Football State Championships and the NJCAA Division III Softball Championship.

The sports facilities study, funded by a Tennessee Department of Tourist Development (TDTD) grant, began in mid-2024. The June site visits represent the next phase of the assessment, which will evaluate existing tournament-ready facilities and recommend opportunities to enhance community assets and increase competitiveness in the national sports tourism market. Stakeholder meetings will be planned for later this year.

The study complements East Ridge’s Camp Jordan Sports Facilities Feasibility Study and the City of Chattanooga’s Parks and Outdoors Plan. Site visits will engage community stakeholders as consultants tour venues and assess development potential.

Chattanooga Tourism Co. drives economic and social prosperity by promoting and developing visitor experiences. The organization has maintained multiyear contracts with partners such as TSSAA, NCAA, IRONMAN, and youth sports operators, while continually recruiting new events to boost visitation and community impact.

Henry County hosted its annual youth football camp on June 16-18.

Campers in first through eighth grades went through various drills to practice football skills throughout the three-day camp.

Attendees went through several relay-style competitions and footwork drills during Tuesday’s camp session, along with a couple focus-related activities.

Just like last year, Barcelona are likely to sanction multiple loan deals this summer as they look to encourage their younger players to find more game time elsewhere.

Sergi Dominguez is one of the players who may leave the club on a loan deal, in order to gain more prominence and get valuable playing time at the highest level of football.

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Dominguez is rated highly at La Masia, having made his debut for the first team this season. He ended the campaign with six competitive appearances to his name.

However, with Barcelona having no less than at least six centre-back options going into the new season, a loan move elsewhere would make sense for Dominguez.

Empoli eye move for Dominguez

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Dominguez appears to have no shortage of admirers either, with Empoli eyeing a move.

As per the report, the Italian outfit are eyeing a loan move for the Barcelona defensive prodigy this summer, as they look to add more depth in the defensive unit.

Empoli are keen on signing Barcelona’s Sergi Dominguez (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

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Empoli will be in rebuilding mode this summer after being relegated from the first division last season, finishing 18th in the league.

As such, there might be scope for younger players such as Dominguez to make an impact, which is a very good thing for the player.

But on the flip side, a move to Empoli would mean that the Barça prodigy will not be able to compete at the highest level of football.

Dominguez was a part of Barcelona’s pre-season campaign last year. But things could get tougher this year as the team is now far more established than they were a year back.

Keeping that in mind, it would perhaps be a more logical move for Dominguez to settle for a loan move to Empoli, although it will be interesting to see if there are other clubs interested in a move for the youngster this summer.

BSE Global, the parent company of the New York Liberty and the Brooklyn Nets, will open a youth basketball training facility this fall.

Image courtesy of BSE Global

BSE Global, the parent company of the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty, will open a multi-court youth basketball training facility on Flatbush Avenue near Barclays Center this fall. 

The nearly 19,000-square-foot Brooklyn Basketball Training Center will be operated by BSE’s program Brooklyn Basketball, which offers basketball clinics, summer camps and community programs for local youth. 

“We are excited to further enhance the area surrounding Barclays Center with our Brooklyn Basketball Training Center available to all, right in the heart of Brooklyn, as we continue to help grow the sport across the borough,” said Marissa Shorenstein, Chief External Affairs Officer at BSE Global, in a statement.  “This initiative is about more than just basketball — it’s about creating a safe, inclusive space where young people can learn, grow, and connect – and by continuing to invest in our community programming, we’re building a stronger foundation for the future of the game and the neighborhoods we call home.” 

The new facility will be outfitted with two full courts, a half-court “shooting lab,” auxiliary baskets, and “cutting edge technology” to help young players develop their skills. It will host all of Brooklyn Basketball’s existing programs — like after-school programs and daily basketball clinics — plus a new after-school program for kids ages 6-14, which will launch this fall, at the start of the new school year. Every Wednesday, that program will be dedicated to all-girls training. 

The Training Center will also serve as a space for kids to do homework and care for other needs before and after training, and will have an area for parents. 

“The Brooklyn Basketball Training Center is a game-changer, not just for basketball, but for the entire Brooklyn community,” said Sandy Brondello, Head Coach of the New York Liberty. “It’s about giving the next generation a space to learn the fundamentals, be inspired, and create a sense of community that basketball so brilliantly provides. We aim to build the future of the game and empower our community, especially young girls, to dream big. Who knows? Some of them might be playing across the street at Barclays Center for the New York Liberty one day.”

Brooklyn Basketball reaches around 40,000 kids each year, according to BSE, including hundreds at local schools where Brooklyn Basketball, in partnership with the Department of Education, hosts in-school basketball clinics. Earlier this year, the Liberty announced it will open a new player training center in Greenpoint in 2027, and will host some community clinics on the new courts there. 

Registration for fall programs at The Brooklyn Basketball Training Center is now open, as is sign-up for the program’s summer camps and clinics. 

A version of this story first appeared on Brooklyn Paper’s sister site New York Family.