New York Islanders Swot Analysis

Strengths
Strong Brand The New York Islanders brand is embedded within their traditions. Even the change of something as small as the goal horn, from the original foghorn that commended the Long Islands maritime traditions to the sound of the subway-inspired goal horn caused an outcry due to the fact that it did not symbolize the team, creating an unfamiliar environment and disrupting a branding technique that had been established decades ago (Drance, 2016). The New York Islanders entered the NHL in 1972, the last time they won a Stanley Cup was in 1983 (Kwong, 2015). Their main fan base consists of the people of that generation patiently waiting for that opportunity to arise again while passing down their traditions to their children and
The New York Islanders hold a stronger financial resource capability than many of their competitors, such as Colorado Avalanche, Ottawa Senators and Winnipeg Jets, which gives them a competitive advantage. With the likely hood of the New York Islanders enduring another venue change, their financial status gives them options and leeway in making this difficult decision, provided the opportunity arises. Also, there is $72 million equated towards player expenses, this helps with athletic performance because external expenses are not a strain on the athletes as they are covered and training becomes the number one priority (Forbes, 2016). This is important because high performance, translates to wins, which means more fans, in turn equals to more monetary assists. The also run a fairly high budget in regards to their community outreach programs, which is also a marketing ploy in a sense. They have community programs, player programs and their own foundation called “Islanders Children Foundation.” This is called a partnership; this is important because it can draw a new audience and raise the profile for the
This strong base of loyal supporters that the New York Islanders possess will remain a strength that keeps them safe regardless of the Barclay Center debacle. Although the Barclay Center has come across issues with accommodating to a hockey environment, the New York Islanders fan base has been their greatest advocates for the team and the sport. They have actively made an attempt to change the system to make the Barclay Center “home.” Initially, changes were being made that only alienated the already established Islander fans, such as “a change in the sound of the goal horn; forbidding fans from going to the glass during the warmup skate; the banishment of Islanders mascot Sparky” (Drance, 2016). These modifications caused a shift in the already unsteady attendance reports, but the loyal fans helped the brand adapt and survive. The goal horn from the Nassau Coliseum was reinstated, fans crowd the glass during warm-ups and Sparky is back, which caused a turnaround in the ticket sales in the first season at the stadium. After the first nine games, the season attendance was up 23% and the ticket revenue was up 34% (Drance, 2016). A loyal and committed fan base is crucial as it will sustain an industry and is currently supporting the organization of the New York