During the Islanders’ run to the Eastern Conference Final last season in the bubble and for the start of this season, fans in Islanders Country have only been able to see their team play on television. Some fans were able to make it to the Prudential Center in New Jersey this past Tuesday and there will be fans at Nassau Coliseum starting next Thursday. But as the world continues to navigate through the pandemic, watching sports on television may continue to be the only option for those who can’t get tickets for when your favorite team is on the road.
But now, in addition to being entertained by Brendan Burke, Butch Goring, Shannon Hogan and A.J. Mleczko, Islanders fans will have the opportunity for an enhanced viewing experience while watching games on television. The “Islanders HOMEICE Experience”, a second screen experience app that will sync with all home and away telecasts for the remainder of the 2021 NHL season, will debut for Saturday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres at Nassau Coliseum (1pm MSG+).
To access the Islanders HOMEICE Experience and to get more information, you have to download the HOMETURF app.
For IOS…
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hometurf/id1489267647
For Android…
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hometurf.mobileapp.prod
Essentially, fans can now enjoy the Islanders’ gameday experience from home.
“There’s tons of opportunities for us,” said Danielle Lewis, the Islanders’ Director of Game Presentation. “Not having our full fan base and still wanting to provide them with just an amazing experience with exclusive content.”
The app will feature the same scoreboard content that Islanders fans have come to enjoy while at home games and hat content will be synched live to the telecast. There will be typical prompters like when the Islanders score a goal and there are also going to be GIF’s that pop up like when there’s a big save or the dancing lobsters following an Islanders win.
Other features include in-game stats, real-time trivia and polls with chances to win prizes, UBS Arena updates and chats with special guests. Islanders legend and four-time Stanley Cup Champion Bobby Nystrom will be in the fan chat for Saturday’s game with Buffalo.
“He’s very excited,” said Lewis. “It will be really cool. I can’t think of many opportunities where you essentially get to text message with Islanders Alumni.”
The app will serve Islanders fans with a great secondary experience while enjoying the primary telecast on MSG+, NBC or NBCSN.
“We have a team that is dedicated to operating this just like the team that is dedicated to directing the show,” said Lewis. “We have a team that is set for home games and then the team from HOMETURF that’s doing home games along with us and they’re also doing all of the away games.”
What this means is that even when the Islanders are on the road, you can feel like you’re at the Coliseum while watching the game in your living room because you’ll have the goal horn, the video scoreboard content, and the golden tones of public address announcer Alex Anthony.
It’s been hard for Islanders fans to not be able to cheer the team on in person. Some fans will soon have that opportunity, but for many fans on Long Island as well as out-of-town Islanders fans across the country and around the world, the Islanders HOMEICE Experience will make you feel like you’re sitting at a game in the Nassau Coliseum.