Islanders Owner Charles Wang "finally struck gold when he sold the team to Jonathan Ledecky and Scott Malkin" in August for a "price tag" of $485M, according to sources cited by Mike Ozanian of FORBES (10/17). On Long Island, Arthur Staple noted Ledecky and Malkin "will be introduced as minority owners at a news conference" this week. They will "own a minority share of the Islanders for this season and next" before taking over as majority owners in '16-17, when Wang "will become the minority shareholder" (NEWSDAY, 10/18).
HELLO, BROOKLYN: In N.Y., Allan Kreda reports Barclays Center today will "embark on an extensive marketing plan to attract new fans in Brooklyn." The "Brooklyn Scores" campaign will begin "through direct mail, social media, cable television commercials and print advertising to persuade potential fans in the city’s most populous borough to try live hockey next season." About 20,000 direct mailers -- 75% in Brooklyn, "with the rest in Manhattan and Queens -- will be sent out periodically over the next four months, with an emphasis on season-ticket sales." This campaign "is not specifically aimed at fans in Nassau and Suffolk counties," but Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark "was careful to acknowledge that Long Island fans, who have supported the Islanders since 1972, would not be lost in the move." The new campaign, which "features an image of 'Brooklyn Scores' in white letters against a black background," was designed by Chicago-based Gameplan Creative. Gameplan in '07 "helped the Blackhawks rebrand themselves after new management took charge of the franchise." Gameplan Creative Partner & Chief Creative Officer Tom O'Grady said, "We want to get across that this is an exciting time to be living in Brooklyn, that this will be an urban experience appealing to fans of all ages." Kreda notes the effort by Barclays Center staff "is largely independent of the Islanders" and their Nassau County-based staff (N.Y. TIMES, 10/20).
