Newsday, celeb puck-drop, IBC & MSG+ October 8th, 2008 by admin 28 Comments
An occasional look at some Islanders behind-the-scenes business:
Home Opener: We’ve been unable to confirm some buzz that “Entourage” star and Long Islander Kevin Connolly will drop the ceremonial opening faceoff at Saturday’s home opener.
If true, we’re mixed on this because we feel this is an honor best reserved for an Islanders legend or local hero whose presence might help lift the roof off the barn. The lovely celebrity activist-model Christie Brinkley received a warm, but far from thunderous ovation when she did the honors last season.
But you gotta give it up for Connolly. This is a man who borrows a spare Islanders cap from Garth Snow one night and six months later he’s wearing it throughout the season premiere of “Entourage” before a million households. He’s a true fan of the team and uses his celebrity to spotlight the brand.
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(Kevin Connolly of "Entourage" and Garth Snow at an IBC event, wondering if it's okay to have a beer)
Islanders Business Club: The Islanders’ efforts - designed by team president Chris Dey and led by team legend Mike Bossy - to build the corporate support base is second only to the Lighthouse Project in important ventures away from the ice.
The IBC hosted a trade show at the exhibition game at the NVMC last week and had close to 500 current and prospective business partners in attendance. Another good stride.
For the Islanders to significantly grow their season subscriber list over the next year or two as a Lighthouse shovel eventually breaks ground, can’t overstate the need to succeed in this venture. We should be able to tell by mid-season if progress has been made in the corporate outreach.
A regular look at our email and Comments space illustrates to us the hunger for more Islanders on the tube. The dichotomy between Islanders and Devils game broadcasts is flat-out wrong. We have to believe amicable conversations between team and network will continue.
28 Responses to “ISLANDERS, INK.Newsday, celeb puck-drop, IBC & MSG+”
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Who is Kevin Connolly? You have to be kidding me right? Where is P Diddy when you need him? I think the Islanders are grasping at straws picking Connolly, this is all we could come up with. Bring back Mick Vukota to drop the puck i’ll guarantee he gets a better reception than Connolly.
WE NEED SOMEONE TO DROP THE PUCK THAT WILL GET THE CROWD FIRED UP! NOT CONNELYY, I DFONT EVEN WATCH THAT DUMB SHOW, AND EITHER DO 7/8 OF ALL IN ATTENDANCE. BRINKLY WAS GOOD LAST YEAR, SHE SAT NEXT TO ME.
WHAT A JOKE , CHRIS, WHEN YOU SAY “THE ISLANDERS SPENT ALOT OF MARKETING DOLLARS” YOU KNOW THAT IS JUST BS, SO PLEASE SAVE IT…
YES, GORING NEEDS MORE TIME, WE ARE ALREADY SCREWED WITH THE TV SCHEDULE.
WHAT CHANNEL IS MSG+ 2 ?????
WHAT IS THE NEW GOAL SONG??>??
Het guys, lay off Connolly.
c;mon lets be realistic here, In a time where the Islanders seem to struggle to stay relevant In the New York Metro Sports area, (let alone the NHL)
Kevin has shown un-dying loyalty to this club.
Now even though I am far from a Fan of “hollywood” in any way,shape or form.
I realize “Overall”,
it certainly can not hurt having somebody thats “socially relevant” from the east coast to the west coast wearing an Islander Hat or a Tee shirt on a nationally viewed Show!
Now in a Hollywood climte where lots of attention is payed to the trendy here & Now… Connolly has the the guts to buck the trend and stay loyal to the Team & community he grew up with as a child.
(im sure wearing an Islander anything is not very fashionable in Hollywood lrt alone here on the Island these days)
Pretty Cool you ask me!
We came from the same high school Pat-Med,
he never displayed anything but a down to earth attitude back then & now…
got a chance to sit near him & his lifelong friend Steve l. last season.
(even invited me out for a beer after game)
that night,he was just a Normal fan no glitz no papparazzi, Just rooted hard core for his team!
Thats alright with me.
(kevin how about an Islander Jersey on this years show)
Now that would be going all in!
I’d even with the show for that
He never forgot his roots.. Good Man!
Lets Go NY Islanders 2008-09′
* watch the show*
Connolly is a die hard fan and you guys are ripping him? He sports the Isles colors two years in a row on the season premiere and you are ripping him? You would rather have some big name star who could give two s about the isles drop the puck instead of a homegrown die hard??? Embarrassing. As far as coverage who cares as long as we have CB doing his thing and B.D. doing his on HB and here we’ll be fine. Let newsday drop us big deal. I love this new blog CB, who needs print anymore?
I agree with Pride-N- Passion NYI Hockey and Jax.
Connolly is probably the most main stream thing the NHL has, let alone the Islanders. Keep in mind no NHL team is on ESPN.
If you don’t watch the show, you are probably too old or too busy watching Dancing with the Stars on DVR with your wife.
ALOT of people watch Entourage. For Conolly to wear an Islanders T-Shirt in the first scene, of the season premier was pretty huge. Couldn’t help but feel proud for being an Islander fan when I saw that.
Connolly is cool as hell too. He was at Champs drinking beers with everyone after last years home opener.
Kristy Brinkly over Kevin Connolly? Atleast he knows that the boards have glass, not “windows”.