The New York Islanders announced on Monday morning that general admission season tickets have been sold out for their inaugural season at UBS Arena at Belmont Park this fall. In total, over 12,000 season tickets have been sold.
“Selling out season tickets is a true testament to this loyal fanbase,” said Tim Leiweke, CEO of Oak View Group, the developer of UBS Arena. “This arena will bring the very best in both hockey and entertainment to fans across the region and we’re excited to open up the doors to the public this fall.”
The 17,000-seat hockey-first arena will provide the Islanders with a state-of-the-art home that toes the Nassau County/Queens border. Adjacent to the Belmont Park racetrack, the $1.1 billion project is slated to be completed in November.
“The unbelievable demand for premium seating shows that tri-state area businesses, their executives, clients, and fans can’t wait to return to live events,” said Adam Campbell, UBS Arena’s Senior Vice President for Premium Sales.
It’s further confirmation that the Islanders fan base can fill a larger arena after attendance questions arose in recent years after the team was dragged out to Brooklyn before returning home to a renovated Nassau Coliseum that seated fewer than 14,000 fans.
Of course, it certainly helps that the Islanders are in a Stanley Cup semifinal for a second-consecutive season, ushering in the franchise’s most successful period since its dynasty years when it won four straight championships from 1980-1983.
“We are so proud to have the support of these Islanders fans. They’ve responded in such overwhelming fashion,” said Mike Cosentino, Islanders senior vice president of sales, service and business intelligence. “This milestone marks exponential growth in our season ticket base over the last number of years. We’re looking forward to welcoming the Islanders faithful to their new home at UBS Arena in the fall.”
