Text To Win: Islanders Sign One-Year Deal With BlackBerry

By Tripp Mickle, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal

BlackBerry Owners Will Have A  Chance To Text Tavares

The Islanders have signed a one-year deal with BlackBerry. The deal, which is valued in the low-six figures, will offer BlackBerry owners the chance to text message C John Tavares, the Islanders' No. 1 draft pick, during a selected day of the team's mini-camp. The "BlackBerry Message with Tavares" program is being promoted on the team's Web site. Tavares will be introduced to Islanders fans next week. The company and team also plan to partner on a BlackBerry "Hat Trick Promotion" that will give a BlackBerry to one fan chosen through a sweepstakes if any Islanders player scores a hat trick during the '09-10 regular season. As part of the deal, BlackBerry will receive a kiosk on the Islanders concourse and also becomes the sponsor of two Islanders games and will be featured on digital signage. It can run an in-store promo with the retailer of its choice that will provide customers purchasing a BlackBerry with two free tickets to an Islanders game. The deal was negotiated between the Islanders' and BlackBerry's marketing staffs. BlackBerry maker RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie is currently locked in a bankruptcy battle with the NHL in which he is trying to buy the Coyotes and relocate the team to Hamilton, Ontario.