
New York Islanders Augment HomeIce Digital Experience With Virtual Watch Parties Powered by BlueJeans by Verizon, the platform is connecting fans around the globe By Kristian Hern ndez, Associate Editor
Wednesday, June 22, 2022 - 7:00 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
The New York Islanders have a deep connection with fans that extends throughout Metro New York. If you include the team's new venue, there's a lot of buzz surrounding the NHL franchise, and that's why the club is pushing a new capability for its HomeIce digital platform: virtual watch parties via BlueJeans by Verizon that feature domestic and international Isles fans.
It's all about keeping our community engaged, says Ryan Halkett, SVP, event presentation and production experiences, New York Islanders. Wherever they are in the world, our fans have the opportunity to celebrate with each other and feel like they're a part of game day with us.
Born Out of the Pandemic: A New Form of Entertainment Needing a way to entertain fans after the National Hockey League returned from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, clubs resorted to virtual applications developed to keep friends and families in touch while in isolation. HomeTurf, a second-screen platform that replicates the in-venue show and is deployed by many professional teams, was rebranded as HomeIce by the Islanders. Introduced during the 2020-21 NHL regular season within the New York Islanders app, the digital environment features such elements as videoboard prompts, fan trivia, poll questions, chances to win prizes, hype videos, and other forms of content, live statistics, and analytics.
One of the functions that made this activation a success with fans is the ability to chat with other fans. During a period when going to bars and large-scale gatherings wasn't possible, participating in a live chat satisfied the need for community in the best possible way. Although it was a viable solution from the start, Halkett and his production team wanted to push the platform even further by leveraging the relationship of a trusted partner.
The New York Islanders' HomeIce platform debuted during the 2020 COVID-impacted regular season.
We asked ourselves how to extend our reach further and bring our fanbase closer, he says. That's when Verizon came on with us to talk about this technology.
In the effort to improve the platform, real-time video was added along with a live chat. Launched on April 28 vs. the Washington Capitals and used for the season finale on April 29 vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning, the feature enables fans to create their own watch-party rooms and share the experience with friends.
Even though it debuted at the end of the season, the timing of the integration was deliberate. It was important for us and Verizon to get it launched this year, Halkett explains. We wanted to get the awareness of fans now, so we can really lean into it as we head into next year.
Game-Day Workflows: Crew Handles Two Productions at Once One challenge for the team is carrying out two simultaneous operations: the game-day atmosphere is produced both at UBS Arena and for the virtual HomeIce show. So as not to compromise either effort, the crew pre-packages the second-screen experience.
HomeIce allows fans to chat together in real time during any home game.
From a production perspective, the hardest challenge was the timing associated with HomeIce. Says Halkett, We needed to figure out when to start the application: whether to start it 30 minutes before or right at game time.
In juggling both responsibilities, the in-house production team sets a predestined run of show for HomeIce and handles the impromptu changes of the in-person event.
Since our lead producers run the show, says Fritz Stillings, game presentation coordinator, New York Islanders, I'll touch base with them on what we want to run and compile these new elements. I'll also send them what we're doing in the arena, so they can line [their show] up at the exact same time.
Full Slate of Programming: Inside the Improved HomeIce Platform Two seasons ago, HomeIce was operational for both home and away games, which required the production team to be available for all 82 games on the schedule. Last year, though, the app was used for the 41 home games. A smaller number of shows means that each virtual show can be filled with a higher quality of material. Now with the inclusion of video, alumni and franchise legends like four-time Stanley Cup champion Butch Goring are able to join in on the fun. Working closely with the team's community-relations staff, the game-presentation department is able to align these icons with specific games on the schedule.
Leading up to this game, says Stillings, we would tease and promote it by creating content like trivia questions around that specific alumnus. The fans absolutely loved it, and they thought it was really cool to be able to chat with him.
Since the April 28 game vs. Washington, HomeIce has featured the ability to host watch parties with friends and family.
Last season's theme nights garnered a lot of attention - 3,000 users interacted during Nickelodeon Day on March 19 vs. the Dallas Stars - but HomeIce has been used even by fans in the stands at UBS Arena. Ultimately, that was the goal for this application when it was conceived.
We started to see people use it inside of the arena to create their own small gatherings, says Halkett. We'd see people comment what section they were in on the live chat, and it turned into a hangout that was exclusively made through HomeIce.
Deepening the Connection: Celebrating the 50th-Anniversary Season Aside from the home games designated as special occasions, an average of 400-500 fans used the second-screen portal throughout the 2021-22 season. Many teams
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
18/06/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...
18/06/2026
PTZOptics has unveiled new Visual Reasoning demonstrations at InfoComm 2026 (Boo...
18/06/2026
IBC2026 will take place at the RAI Amsterdam from September 11-14, bringing toge...
18/06/2026
InfoComm 2026 held its first-ever Media Day on June 17, providing journalists an...
18/06/2026
FOR-A America has announced a Trade Agreements Act (TAA)-compliant LED display solution combining Alfalite's Litepix LED displays and Brompton Technology...
18/06/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level have one major thing in common: the intensity and attention to detail ramps up dur...
18/06/2026
The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) and TMRW Sports have an...
18/06/2026
AJA Video Systems has unveiled Io Xpand, a Thunderbolt 5-enabled PCIe expansion ...
18/06/2026
ESPN has announced its coverage plans for the 30th anniversary of the WNBA's...
18/06/2026
FOX Sports' Big Noon Kickoff will broadcast live from Wembley Stadium in Lon...
18/06/2026
InfoComm 2026 opened on Wednesday at the Las Vegas Convention Center, bringing t...
18/06/2026
As media companies look to deliver more live, VOD, and snackable sports content ...
18/06/2026
Top L-R: Take Me Home, The Lake
Bottom L-R: TheyDream, Union County
Free Summer Screening Series Announced
Screenings for the Local Utah Community at...
18/06/2026
Improvements & new IR content
iamReverb Audio have just launched a free update that kits their convolution reverb plug-in out with some new features and int...
18/06/2026
Modelling suite gains improved captures, iOS support & more
Two notes Audio Engineering have just announced the launch of Genome 2.0, a significant update t...
18/06/2026
New AI assistance feature, video overhaul & more
VSL have just announced the launch of Vienna Ensemble Pro 8.1 and 8.1V, a pair of major updates to their ev...
18/06/2026
The average daily TV screen time in May was 3 hours and 36 minutes, marking a clear decrease of 15 minutes compared to April. This trend proved to be much stron...
18/06/2026
Integration embeds Gracenote content intelligence, including contextual segments...
18/06/2026
AJA Video Systems unveiled Io Xpand, a high-performance Thunderbolt 5-enabled PCIe expansion chassis for AJA KONA and Corvid video and audio I/O cards. As dema...
18/06/2026
New NVRT-driven workflow enables on-demand traffic mirroring and guided troubleshooting for AV teams, integrators, and support organizations ahead of InfoComm 2...
18/06/2026
At InfoComm 2026, Mavis announced a major update to Mavis Studio, its live production app for the iPad, with new features designed to make professional AV produ...
18/06/2026
Transaction Positions Harmonic as a Pure-Play Broadband Company
Harmonic Inc. (NASDAQ: HLIT), the worldwide leader in virtualized broadband solutions, today a...
18/06/2026
ACT Entertainment and NETGEAR have announced a strategic partnership that establishes verified interoperability between NETGEAR Switches and key technologies fr...
18/06/2026
IBC2026 is set to bring the global media, entertainment and technology community together at the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September, enabling industry players f...
18/06/2026
Pliant Technologies is proud to introduce CrewCom Flex , the world's first frameless matrix intercom system and the only complete matrix IP-based intercom s...
18/06/2026
The XR Sports Alliance (XRSA) has announced that a new cohort of members has joined the strategic initiative: ActionStreamer, Antigravity, Creative Artists Agen...
18/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/06/2026
Linda May Han Oh Receives Guggenheim Fellowship The Berklee professor, bassist, and composer will use the fellowship to debut Dreams of Knowing, an interdisci...
18/06/2026
Techtel delivers Haivision live streaming system for TAFE NSW St Leonards, enabl...
18/06/2026
New study reveals 10 hidden data drainers costing Brits hundreds abroad - and the holiday hotspots where you could get rinsed the mostThursday 18 June 2026
The...
18/06/2026
Thursday 18 June 2026
How to watch the 2026/27 Scottish Premiership season on Sky Sports
Which matches are Sky Sports showing on the 2026/27 Scottish Premiers...
18/06/2026
Thursday 18 June 2026
Sky Sale: Latest deals now on, with discounts on iPhone Air & 2.5Gbps speeds
The latest deals have dropped from Sky Mobile, the award-wi...
18/06/2026
FOX Advertising and Toonstar Team to Create New Opportunities for Brands in Digi...
18/06/2026
Arqiva's Crawley Court and Chalfont Grove teleports re-certified at highest World Teleport Association standard
18 June 2026, Winchester, UK - Arqiva, the ...
18/06/2026
Apple today announced changes impacting iOS apps in Brazil that reflect a recent agreement with Brazil's competition regulator, the Conselho Administrativo ...
18/06/2026
Play favorite titles from popular game libraries, keep progress synced and jump ...
18/06/2026
The digital era gave the advertising and marketing industry speed; the AI era is giving it autonomous operations.
For companies building next-generation techn...
17/06/2026
EVS has announced it has received the EcoVadis Gold Medal for sustainability performance, ranking among the top 5% of companies globally in the Technology/Mid-S...
17/06/2026
Chyron has released Weather 2.4, an update to its weather suite for broadcasters and meteorologists. The release focuses on enhancements to the DataFlow module,...
17/06/2026
VSiN, The Sports Betting Network, has announced the launch of Best Bets TV, a free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel. The 24/7 channel is currently avail...
17/06/2026
DAZN's Team Whistle and Snap Inc. have announced a creator program centered ...
17/06/2026
LiveU is providing video transmission technology for broadcasters, production companies, and public safety agencies across North America's busy Summer of So...
17/06/2026
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) has announced that Laurens Grant and Jacob Ullman have joined its Board of Directors. Chief of Staf...