New York Knicks & Brooklyn Nets to Host 2015 All-Star Game

The National Basketball Association has announced the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets will jointly host the 2015 All-Star Game.

The newly renovated Madison Square Garden, home to the Knicks, will host the midseason exhibition on February 15 while the $1 billion Barclays Center, which opened a year ago and is home to the Nets, will showcase the popular slam dunk contest and the weekend’s other events.

NBA Commissioner David Stern said: “New York offers an extraordinary opportunity to host NBA All-Star events at two world-class venues.

“We look forward to celebrating our game with basketball fans across the entire city, in all five boroughs.”

This marks the fifth time that the NBA All-Star Game will be played in New York and the first time since 1998.

Landing an NBA All-Star Weekend, essentially a showcase of skills competitions and exhibitions culminating in a game which pits top players from the NBA’s two conferences against each other, offers big business benefits to the host city.

The 2013 event was held in Houston, which estimated a direct economic impact of $60 million, and an overall economic impact of slightly below $100 million.

The 2014 All-Star Game is set for New Orleans.