As Jennifer Belechto and her family entered UBS Arena for the first time on Tuesday night, they had no idea what was in store for them.
Jennifer, her husband Randy and daughters Annaleigh and Ashlynn made their way through the main entrance and into the Grand Hall prior to the Islanders’ 2-1 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars. Moments later, Jennifer was identified as the one millionth fan to attend an Islanders game in the two-season history of UBS Arena.
“Shock,” said Belechto. “Complete Shock. I was very confused. There was a band and confetti and I wasn’t sure what was going on. It’s just crazy. It’s our first time here so to be the one millionth fan is even crazier but it’s very exciting.”
After the Islanders and their fans endured a decades-long saga trying to secure a new home on Long Island, UBS Arena at Belmont Park opened last November and Islanders Country finally had their forever home after a storied history at Nassau Coliseum. There was the slight detour to Barclays Center in Brooklyn, but the Islanders made their way back to a temporary stay at “The Barn” as they waited for UBS Arena to be completed.
One million fans later, the Islanders have a spectacular new home to be proud of.
“I think it’s a fabulous night for the Islanders and their fan base,” said Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky. We tried to make (UBS Arena) as close to the (Nassau) Coliseum in terms of the intimacies as we possibly could. The feedback has been fantastic. I’m walking around and the fans are not shy about expressing opinions on what we can do better but overall, they love the experience and they love the building.”
The Belechto family received a number of gifts after Jennifer became the one millionth fan. To commemorate the Islanders’ 50th season, the team will donate 50 tickets to the charity of Jennifer’s choice. She also received a $500 Arctix gift card and a $5,000 shopping spree at the Isles Lab team store at UBS Arena. Jennifer was given a certain amount of time to grab as much merchandise as she could including jerseys, hats and other items.
The family also received a ticket upgrade for Tuesday night’s contest as they watched the game from the owner’s suite.
“I grew up an Islanders fan with my dad,” said Belechto. “He was a season ticket holder. My husband plays hockey and grew up an Islanders fan. Ever since (the kids) were little, they’ve been watching the Islanders all together so it’s a great family event.”
One million fans at UBS Arena. And Islanders Country is just getting started.