As the Islanders get ready for their 50th season in the National Hockey League, they do so not only with a fan base starving for a return to glory, but now also with strong ownership, a great new home, and a partnership that continues to grow stronger.
The Islanders initially forged a partnership with Jackpocket, the leading third-party lottery app in the country, back in 2021. This past July, that partnership expended when the Islanders purchased 25,000 lottery tickets for their season ticket holders for a $1.2 billion lottery drawing.
And then earlier this month, Jackpocket and the Islanders announced an expansion of their partnership, making Jackpocket the official home helmet partner for the Islanders for this coming season, giving them permanent branding during all regular season and playoff home games.
On Thursday morning, the Islanders and Jackpocket teamed up again, to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange ahead of the Isles’ season opener.
“Having a partnership with Jackpocket on our helmet really means a lot to us,” said Islanders Co-Owner Jon Ledecky. “They had over 850 million impressions from (the lottery ticket purchase) and that shows the power of the Islanders brand for companies like Jackpocket, so we wanted to demonstrate that initially. Now, with being on the helmet, we take the next step up and thirdly ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange.”
Jackpocket offers lottery players a secure way to order and play official state lottery tickets from their mobile device. By establishing their partnership with the Islanders, Jackpocket has found a way to make their way into the world of sports marketing, which is certainly both attractive and good for business.
The partnership shows how sports teams and brands can work together to reach new audiences.
“Jon (Ledecky) has been with us from the beginning,” said Sean Siuda, Jackpocket’s Chief Financial Officer. “The Islanders were our first official team sponsor and Jon has been a great advisor to the company beyond just the marketing and the assets that are exchanged with that deal. We’re excited to deepen that relationship with the helmets. It's going to be really exciting. It’s validating to our company to be associated with the Islanders and such a great brand, Jon and the whole Islanders family.”
The lottery ticket purchase in July was a win-win for both the Islanders and Jackpocket. From an Islanders standpoint, it was another perk for season ticket members. For Jackpocket, the impressions across social, digital, print and broadcast platforms translated into $15 to 20 million in free media for their company.
“Brands want engagement with the fans but they also want the publicity that associates with being with an iconic brand like the New York Islanders,” said Ledecky. “They’re the stockholders equating to the New York Stock Exchange. Our fans, our season ticket members…they’re our stockholders, so we want to give them a series of benefits being with us.”
The ultimate goal for the Islanders on the ice is to win a lot of hockey games and compete for a Stanley Cup. There’s also the business side of a sports franchise that needs the support from the fan base, so creating strong partnerships is a way of being able to offer their fans more than just watching games.
And the companies who partner with the Islanders are looking for financial success as well, and so far, the Isles have delivered that to Jackpocket.
“We look at all of our partners on a performance basis, and we find that the Islanders have performed better than any of our other teams,” said Siuda. “We’re going to continue to lean into that relationship even as we look to go public.”
The Islanders and Jackpocket have already achieved a lot of success with their creative and expanding partnership. As the Islanders embark on their 50th season and their quest for a Stanley Cup, and as Jackpocket continues to grow their company, it’s definitely been a partnership made in heaven – but more importantly, a partnership made in Islanders Country.
Follow Peter Schwartz on Twitter: @SchwartzSports
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