Opinion

The Nassau Knicks

Ever hear of the Long Island Rangers? How about the Nassau Knicks? Well, you may hear of them soon enough — especially if the city keeps pushing the owners of Madison Square Garden to move their arena from its home above Penn Station.

Just last week, the Garden, which owns the New York Knicks and Rangers, became one of two finalists competing to rebuild and run the Nassau Coliseum. The Garden proposes to move one of three teams to Nassau: the New York Liberty (women’s basketball), a minor-league hockey team or a team from the National Basketball Association’s D-League.

Now, the company won’t say if it would contemplate relocating the Knicks or Rangers. But consider this:

* The New York Islanders are ditching Nassau for Brooklyn in 2015, giving the city two pro hockey and two pro basketball teams and leaving Nassau with none.

* City Hall is itching to oust the Garden from its current site. The city claims that the Garden is blocking a Penn Station makeover. What makes this so ludicrous is that none of the key players — Amtrak, NJ Transit and the MTA — has a plan, much less the funding, for a redo.

* In June, a City Council committee voted to evict the Garden within 10 years. (A final vote is expected this month.)

Never mind that the company owns the property. Never mind that the Garden is a major boon to the city’s economy — and to its cultural vitality. And never mind that no one can think of another place for the Garden within the city.

Which makes Nassau a logical option.

Fact is, while other American cities are fighting to attract sports teams — and businesses, generally — New York is blithely pushing them away. It certainly would be understandable if the Garden up and took its popular sports teams somewhere officials are more eager to have them.

Just like the many other businesses that are also jerked around by this city’s arrogant political class.