The New York Islanders are ushering in a new era of fan engagement at UBS Arena with the launch of Isles+, an innovative digital platform presented by Verizon. Isles+, built on HomeTurf’s fan engagement platform, transforms the in-game experience for fans with cutting-edge technology, including simultaneous viewing of four unique camera angles, instant replays, real-time statistics, live chat with fellow spectators, trivia games, song voting, gameday information, and more, all on your mobile device.
The four synchronized camera angles include a specialty camera offering a unique perspective of the game action. Each feed is powered by TVU Producer, a cloud-based production platform, ensuring a low-latency production setup with a controlled 25-second delay. This ensures fans can witness Islanders’ goals in real-time and relive those moments on their mobile devices.
“Isles+ stands as the ultimate gameday companion, offering fans control over their experience,” said Ryan Halkett, SVP of NY Islanders Media & Entertainment Group. “Our collaboration with Verizon lets fans enjoy an immersive and interactive experience throughout every home game.”
The journey towards Isles+ began three years ago when the Islanders, in partnership with HomeTurf, pioneered a second-screen experience for fans during the shortened 2020 season. Evolving from this initial concept, the team joined with Verizon to establish robust 5G connectivity within UBS Arena. The result facilitated the creation of Isles+, a groundbreaking platform that leverages TVU Networks’ suite of cloud-based live streaming solutions plus the TVU Remote Production System and AWS’ cloud architecture, with Verizon acting as an advisor.
“Isles+ is the culmination of years of collaboration with the Islanders and exemplifies what strong partnership and network connectivity can bring to life for venues and fans alike,” said Jonathan Nikols, SVP of Global Enterprise Americas for Verizon. “From personalization and brand advocacy, the New York Islanders have been at the forefront of propelling a new era of fan engagement, and we’re pleased that we could help them execute on this shared vision to reshape how fans are able to experience their favorite team and sport.”
TVU Producer empowers the production team to deliver an engaging programming model by seamlessly switching the main video feed from a single output to multi-camera angles view, enhancing the viewing experience during pregame and intermissions, and providing a larger viewable screen. Isles+ also offers a live chat feature for fans to discuss all things Islanders, in- depth game information and statistics, arcade-style hockey games, a direct link to purchase 50- 50 raffle tickets, and various other features to delight fans of all ages attending a home game.
Since opening in November 2021, UBS Arena has rapidly evolved into a center for cutting-edge production innovation.
“We’re starting to push the boundaries of what we’re capable of doing with technology,” said Halkett. “Isles+ is another testament to the Islanders’ commitment to enhancing the fan experience at UBS Arena.”
