Suggestion Box: Ideas, Not Rants, for the Islanders Owners

At last Thursday’s Town Hall with fans, Jon Ledecky joked (we think) about building a huge suggestion box at Barclays Center for fans to stuff before, during and after games. Now, the new Islanders owner may not do that, but he did have a staff member jotting ideas on a yellow legal pad as he shook hands and posed for pictures with fans.
It’s early, very early, but all signs point that Jon Ledecky gets its. He gets that the fans are his greatest resource and gets that their is no complaint too small. If you want to be a ‘world class’ organization and a ‘world class’ destination for players, you also need to create a ‘world class’ experience for your fanbase.
To help the new owners achieve this faster, I asked #IslesTwitter to offer up some of their best suggestions for Jon Ledecky, Scott Malkin and Barclays Center.
I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty to remove the obvious black jerseys, LIRR train schedule, fire Garth, trade Bailey and move back to Nassau rants.
Here are the best of the rest:

• Find a way to hang ALL the Islanders Playoff Banners in the arena
• Hang all the Islanders banners on the same side (currently the Islanders Stanley Cup Banners are alongside the retired jerseys of Jason Kidd and Buck Williams)
• Hall of Fame plaques added outside of the dressing room
• Increased signage at arena, including maps that display the various food options
• Ledecky to conduct a meet and greet with fans once a month two hours before games
• Work with Barclays/NHL to schedule weekend afternoon games branded for kids
• Have a lucky fan honk the YESuv horn at the end of games after wins
• Improve sound quality, temperature in the upper bowl (it’s freezing up there!).
• New Goal Song? I think it’s time.
• Reduce the cost of beer to a ‘reasonable level’ ($12.50 last season)
• Drink specials during weekday games from Monday-Thursday
• More local beer options (We need our Barn rocker!)
• Allow fans closer to MSG set after games to feel a part of the post game
• Ushers to wear Islanders colors or some apparel as part of their uniform
• Broker a deal with high powered local AM radio station (WOR, WFAN, WCBS, WABC)
• Allow fans with obstructed seats in the upper bowl to move freely into empty seats/sections for the 3rd period
• Extra MTA Subway service for home games too (City fans have to get home too)
• Travel/Ticket packages for NY Islanders fans visiting from outside the tri-state area

It’s important to experience what the fans are experiencing to understand their perspective. Ledecky spent last season going unrecognized by fans on the LIRR or on the concourse, extracting opinions and comments to make Barclays Center feel more like home.
Like I said, he gets it. And as long as he listens, Islanders fans will keep on giving it to him.