New York Islanders Barcalys Center Has Become Self Aware

The New York Islanders play in a facility ill-equipped for hockey, with an off-center scoreboard, barely a sign that the Islanders inhabit the building, and seats when you can’t see the action. Oh and a truck that sits right along the board instead of prime seats. Until now.

There are a number of issues with the home of the New York Islanders; the Barclays Center. A major issue is the car they put right in the corner of the ice where prime real estate in 29 other arena’s are sold.

Over the two seasons, the Islanders have called Barclays home the Honda in the stands was a real sore spot and continual point of ridicule for the Islanders and the Barclays Center.

And for the most part, the Islanders fan base have embraced the quirkiness of their arena. There’s a reason that @IslesWhiteSUV has 4,000+ followers on Twitter.

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It’s not only because the brilliant mastermind behind the twitter account is an absolute riot with a well-placed car based pun. But because it plays into the ironic nature and level of self-ridicule only Islanders fans can have.

The Islanders have been the butt of the joke for years. Rather than get mad we just embrace it and make it our own.

And now Barclays has finally caught on and done the same.

Sit & Win

The Islanders announced today that fans can now win the chance to sit in the cab of the Honda Ridgeline at glass level. Firmly embracing the quirkiness of the situation and making the best of it.

The Barclays Center knows exactly what it is and how Islanders fans and the rest of the hockey world see it. And it’s playing right into the joke. Why not?

If you follow @IslesWhiteSUV you’d see the countless “sighting” pictures sent on an Islanders home game. Isles fans, and ever other team’s fans going to the Barclays routinely send hordes of pixelated and out of focus pictures of the famous car at ice level, just to get in on the joke.

So why not offer this voracious fan base something to sink their teeth into. Let them actually sit in the back of the car for a game? What could be better? (Aside from a hockey first arena?) Nothing.

Next: An Isles Fan From 4,000 Miles Away

It’s great to see the Barclays embrace its place in the hockey world. It doesn’t excuse the fact that it’s ice isn’t the best (although who’s is?). It doesn’t fix the scoreboard or the lack of any blue and orange paint or decals in the concourse. It doesn’t fix the seats that have no view of an Islanders goal for two-thirds of the game. But it’s certainly making the game day experience more exciting and it’s playing right into what fans love.