"Six weeks into his job as president of business operations, Cheeseman, who spoke to Andrew Gross of Newsday via Zoom on Tuesday, looked at the Islanders' footprint and didn't see a niche. He saw eight million people, stretching from Queens and Brooklyn to Montauk. Right now, the Islanders are strong east of UBS Arena. West of it? That's the opportunity. And opportunity only gets unlocked if the Islanders stop pretending the fan base of yesterday is enough for tomorrow."
"The numbers don't lie. Compared to the rest of the NHL, the Islanders skew older and less diverse. That's not an insult to the loyal diehards who carried this franchise through decades of chaos. It's a reality check. The league is getting younger. More female. More multicultural. If the Islanders don't move in that direction, they risk becoming a regional nostalgia act instead of a modern NHL brand."
Six weeks into his role as president of business operations, Kelly Cheeseman mapped the Islanders' market as eight million people from Queens and Brooklyn to Montauk and identified growth opportunity west of UBS Arena. Current Islanders attendance and fan demographics skew older and less diverse than the rest of the NHL. The league is trending younger, more female and more multicultural, creating urgency to broaden outreach. Recent roster developments and marketable players provide momentum. Winning on the ice and increased player visibility in the community are presented as key levers to attract a larger, more representative fan base.
Read at Eyes On Isles
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