2). Being a previous owner of an NHL franchise, what are some things you learned during that experience that you hope to carry over or do differently with the New York Islanders?
I think a lot has changed in the 18 years since I was last in the National Hockey League, but I think the great thing about being a minority owner of the Washington Capitals, was working with Ted Leonsis, who was a visionary at the time about using social and digital media and engaging with the fans. He taught me that the customer is the fan and customer excellence and customer service is really important. We have to engage with our fans and we have to make sure they have a great time, number one. Number two- Ted told me and taught me about what he calls 'Malibu real estate.' That when you start out and you have season tickets still available and then they get sold, people will never give them up again and that's a great thing for the fan base as we fill Barclays Center to the hilt and then we have a winning team because the fans and the players love seeing the building rocking.
3). What excites you about the team that is shaping up to be the 2016-17 New York Islanders?
I'm excited about all the players on the Islanders because it's a mix of the young players with the veterans. I think that in the offseason, Garth made moves to bring on some veteran leadership. And as Brock and Casey both alluded to in the town hall back in July, they're looking forward to having Andrew Ladd and Jason Chimera come because that veteran leadership mixing in with the young players will hopefully lead to a Stanley Cup Championship.
4). What is your #1 goal for the New York Islanders?
The fifth ring.
5). How did you enjoy the Town Hall in July, having a chance to meet Islanders fans face to face?
The event was fantastic. The fans were chanting throughout the event and I had the pleasure of leading a YES YES YES chant. It just reinforces what we all know already, which is the fact that we have the most passionate fans in the league. I welcomed all of their comments and look forward to working with the staff to implement ideas and make sure Islanders fans continue to support our great franchise.
