The Islanders are handing a small group of season ticket members a chance that usually belongs only to arena staff: helping prepare the ice at UBS Arena before the season starts.
Next Wednesday, Sept. 9, the team will invite selected Season Ticket Members to join the organization’s ice operations crew and paint the lines on the rink. The session runs from 7:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. and is designed to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at one of the key jobs in getting an NHL surface ready.
It’s a different kind of perk than the usual season-ticket package of games, merchandise and special events. This one puts fans right into the process, with the opportunity to work on the actual playing surface that Matthew Schaefer, Mathew Barzal, Ilya Sorokin and the rest of the Islanders will use during the season.
Fans entered for the chance through Isles Rewards, with each entry costing 350 Isles Rewards points. Those points are non-refundable. Entries were accepted until Friday, Sept. 4 at noon.
The selected members won’t be on their own, either. Each winner can bring one guest, and their Islanders Account Manager will contact them to confirm the spot.
It’s a rare sort of experience in pro sports - not just watching the team from the stands, but helping get the rink ready for the games themselves. After the paint dries and the season opens, those fans will be able to look out at the ice at UBS Arena knowing they had a hand in setting it up.
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