Barclays Center launches its welcoming party for Islanders

A “marquee wrap” around the outside of the Barclays Center will herald the Oct. 9 opening game against the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks by screaming, “The Puck Drops in October.”

There will also be large-scale signage across the street at the Atlantic Terminal Mall and 20 billboards featuring Islanders players throughout Brooklyn. A new tagline playing off the team’s four consecutive Stanley Cups in the 1980s reads, “Tradition’s New Home.” Print, digital and radio executions also support.

Rendering shows Barclays Center with Islanders marketing campaign. Photo by: BARCLAYS CENTER

Of that group of new season-ticket holders, 33 percent are Brooklynites; 25 percent are from Nassau County, Long Island; and 21 percent are from Manhattan. More than 30 new sponsors have signed on, Yormark said.

Taking a page out of the Nets’ move from New Jersey to Brooklyn, the Islanders will employ an alternate jersey in the Nets’ black and white color scheme.

> HEALTHY APPETITE: Every NFL team has at least one health care deal; many have more.
We’ve been waiting for that prosperous category to throw cash at the NFL for leaguewide rights. Sure enough, agency sources tell us that health services giant Cigna was in advanced talks with the NFL over such a deal this summer, but the deal disintegrated after rival Anthem acquired Cigna in July for $54.2 billion, creating the nation’s largest health insurer by enrollment. Without commenting directly on that “almost-deal,” Renie Anderson, NFL senior vice president of sponsorship and partnership management, acknowledged that health care was near the top of the league’s shopping list, along with a timing/technology partner and what she described as a “real focus on the b-to-b market.” In addition, there is travel, which is a highly regional category where Marriott already has hotel marketing rights.

While the burgeoning paid fantasy business is filling the coffers of almost every NFL team, Anderson said she knew of no plans to make that category available on the league level.

> BOXED OUT: The St. Louis Rams have entered the direct-marketing and retail business with a subscription-box offering, similar to Birchbox or ShoeDazzle.

The Rams’ “Picked 6” box is being sent monthly from August to January to all members of the team’s Lady Rams fan group, who pay a $40 fee to belong.

The boxes contain exclusive offerings, everything from Gatorade-logoed pink rally towels to Rams and Lady Rams-logoed nail files, lip balm and lip gloss.

A few tangible results early on: Membership in the Lady Rams has increased 50 percent this season. Maria Mannino, Rams manager of merchandise and events, who helped create the program, along with Rachel Link, corporate sales and premium hospitality manager, said “we wanted to give them something more than a T-shirt and we’ve generated interest among our members and sponsors.”

Rams CMO Bob Reif lauds the program for “creating a new entry-level asset, a sampling program for advertisers that would never think they could afford an NFL team.” Some examples: Alex and Ani costume jewelry, Evolution of Smooth health and beauty aid products, The Normal Brand apparel, DeskSite Sports, and Lulu DK temporary tattoos.

> COLLEGIAL FELLOW: Jesse Palmer, the former NFL and CFL quarterback turned “Good Morning America” talent, has added some endorsements as his popularity increases among a wider audience. The former “Bachelor” star, who continues as a college football analyst on the SEC Network and ESPN, has signed with two of college football’s biggest advertisers: Allstate and Dr Pepper.

Ads are expected to be shot later this month.

“These kinds of ‘fabric of the game’ brands are really what I’m looking for,” Palmer said.

Playbook Inc. handles Palmer.

Terry Lefton can be reached at tlefton@sportsbusinessjournal.com.