Today, we announced the New York Islanders are using BlueJeans to provide video enabled watch parties in their HOMEICE Experience platform within the UBS Arena mobile app.
HOMEICE, powered by HomeTurf, allows fans to chat live with NHL alumni and insiders, score points and win prizes by participating in trivia and polls while watching the game. Leveraging the BlueJeans software development kit (SDK), the new BlueJeans Meetings capability for HOMEICE will be available as an in-app “second screen” experience for fans looking to connect live over video with their friends and favorite team during games moving forward and will complement the Islanders’ existing HOMEICE chat, trivia, polls and other scoreboard features available during games to fans everywhere by further simulating the in-arena experience through face-to-face fan engagement.
Through conducting fan focus groups, the Islanders have been able to deliver new programming and features into HOMEICE that build on its community outreach and engagement efforts. The addition of BlueJeans video conferencing will provide another layer of intimacy for the Islanders’ dispersed fanbase. Furthermore, by providing the same programming available to fans in- and outside the arena, the New York Islanders are looking to gamification as a way to drive more equity by ensuring all fans have the best seat in the house.
For fans who can't make it to a game in person, it's these personalized touchpoints like the ones we are creating with the Islanders that drive brand advocacy and team excitement. We worked closely with the Islanders to help them get this integration off the ground. According to Ryan Halkett, SVP, Event Presentation, Content Experiences & Operations:
“The pandemic created a complete paradigm shift when it comes to sports engagement. It really compelled us to look beyond the physical arena boundaries into how we can do more for fans on a global level. We have over 55 supporter groups globally that follow the Islanders and have created fan group chapters around the world, and our partnerships with companies like BlueJeans allow us to engage them in a more personalized and inclusive way that gives them that exclusive, in arena content and community feeling they wouldn’t necessarily have otherwise.”
BlueJeans will be available to fans across cities in HOMEICE for the New York Islanders game against the Washington Capitals on April 28. Fans can choose to share the Islanders game experience over BlueJeans with others in the main chat room or break off into separate chats. Join the HOMEICE Experience today by downloading the UBS Arena app
The New York Islanders are at the forefront of driving hybrid fan participation in this new era of sports, and we're so excited to help them bring the HOMEICE chat to life! Learn more about how BlueJeans is helping customers do their best work and download your free trial of BlueJeans today.
About the Author
Chadd Thompson is the Global Head of Marketing and Customer Experience for BlueJeans by Verizon.
