39– 41; as scapegoat, 114, 115;
on Islanders’ performance, 26, 55,
traded from Islanders, 126– 27,
96, 110, 111, 152; on mascot, 24,
141; traded to Islanders, 36, 37, 123
28; on Milbury, 72– 73, 153, 160; on
Myhres, Brantt, 94
Muller, 37, 40; on Roenick, 145,
Nassau County, 11– 12
146; on Rose hiring, 83; on Spano,
Nassau Veterans Memorial Coli-
149, 150, 157– 58, 168, 172, 173
seum, xviii, 3, 5, 64– 65, 115, 147,
New York Daily News, 40, 41, 75, 97,
176; attendance at, 23, 30, 105– 6,
152, 157; on fisherman logo, 47–
112, 113, 121, 137, 150, 151, 166,
51, 53, 70, 214, 218
174; booing at, 24, 26, 27, 36, 153;
New York Islanders: apparel sales
“fish sticks” chants at, 117, 137;
by, 48, 65, 218; broadcasters for,
seating capacity of, 107; short-
82– 83, 98– 99, 147– 48; coach-
comings of, 6, 65, 105, 106, 148;
ing changes by, 71– 72, 163, 181;
upkeep of, 107
coaching staff of, 80– 81, 124– 25,
National Fisherman, 60
144– 45; crowd attendance for, 23,
National Hockey League (NHL),
30, 105– 6, 112, 113, 121, 137, 150,
2– 3, 31, 88; and Islanders’ rebrand,
151, 166, 174; finances of, 65, 78,
45– 46, 136, 137; Original Six in, 8,
110, 123, 162, 183, 193; and free
270
INDEX
agent market, 30, 66, 78, 82, 89,
also fisherman logo and jersey;
142, 146; Gluckstern- Milstein
Maloney, Don; Milbury, Mike;
ownership of, 175– 78, 182– 83;
rebrand, Islanders
Long Island identity of, 11– 12,
New York Liberty, 206, 211, 218
32; move to Brooklyn, xviii, 191,
New York Mets, 9
220– 21; newspaper ads by, 63,
New York Post, 39, 40– 41, 50, 70
85, 159, 166, 178; in 1993 Stanley
New York Rangers, 84– 85, 191;
Cup playoffs, 7; in 1994 Stanley
games against, 4– 5, 33– 34, 39– 40,
Cup playoffs, 4– 5; original logo
46, 111, 112, 115– 16, 128– 29, 133–
of, xviii, 3– 4, 45, 129, 207– 8;
35, 156; Islanders’ rivalry with,
payroll of, 7– 8, 36, 133; and player
xix, 4, 9, 116, 129, 133– 34, 204,
draft, xviii, 79– 80, 81– 82, 142– 43;
220; logo of, 206, 218
promotional tools of, 151, 160,
New York Times, 12, 40, 126, 128,
179– 80; public relations work by,
160, 178, 197; on Billy Joel, 13, 62;
74, 126, 146, 147, 175; rivalry with
on Islanders’ performance, 96,
Rangers and Devils, xix, 4, 9, 116,
101, 152; on Milbury, 74, 75, 90;
129, 133– 34, 204, 220; roster and
and Nyisles mascot, 33, 205; on
lineup of, 21, 75, 77– 80, 86– 87,
Spano, 150, 157, 174– 75
88– 89, 98, 141– 42, 145– 46, 165;
Nicholson, Jack, 15
1994– 95 season of, 21– 53; 1995–
Nyisles (mascot), fig. 10, 108, 109,
96 season of, 97– 141; 1996– 97
125, 138, 205– 6; costume of, 28–
season of, 148– 49, 150– 66, 174;
29, 107, 182; Di Fiore selected as,
1997– 98 season of, 179– 81;
18– 19; fan dislike of, 23, 24, 34,
120, 189; fan violence against,
season- ticket base of, 6; as small-
34– 35, 120– 21; media coverage of,
market team, xviii, 7– 8, 49, 66,
33, 129, 205; name adopted for,
123; and Spano debacle, 156– 75,
28, 29, 202; Sparky the Dragon
187; Stanley Cup glory days of,
replacement of, 182; Walker
4, 8, 10, 56, 69, 117, 150, 161, 179,
replacement of Di Fiore as, 162.
208; team colors of, 3, 47– 48,
See also Di Fiore, Rob
49, 64, 191, 202, 213, 214; team
Nystrom, Bob, 35, 74, 137, 147, 179;
spirit of, 42, 102; third jerseys
and fisherman logo, 45, 57– 58,
of, 150, 154, 191, 215, 220; ticket
137– 38; as “Mr. Islander,” 11
prices of, 65, 106– 7; trades by, 22,
25– 26, 36, 37– 39, 89– 90, 94– 95,
O’Hara, Ed, 9, 10– 11, 194– 95,
102, 141, 145– 46, 154– 55, 164– 65;
197, 212– 13; and fisherman logo
training camps of, 86– 89, 98, 107,
design, 15, 16– 17, 43, 49, 136,
132; Wang purchase of, 191. See
194, 203, 205
271
INDEX
Oklahoma City bombing, 47
118, 119, 154, 194; injury to, 30; on
Okposo, Kyle, xvii
Islanders’ ownership, 158, 183
Olbermann, Keith, 160
Pittsburgh Penguins, 7, 30, 126,
Ontario Hockey League, 127
154– 55, 162
Ottawa Senators, 24, 32, 52, 127, 149
Plante, Dan, xii, 88, 154, 163; and
fisherman jersey, 117, 118, 193
Page, Bob, 131
Poeschek, Rudy, 94
Pagé, Pierre, 71
Potvin, Denis, 38, 47, 116, 124, 138;
Pálffy, Žiggy, fig. 7, fig. 13, xiii, 27, 77, and fisherman jersey, 50, 135, 215;
93, 98, 109, 149; contract negoti-
and Islanders’ glory days, 4, 56, 179
ations with, 148; in games, 23, 24,
Pride and Passion (Fischler and
101, 111, 156, 164, 165; on Island-
Botta), 161
ers’ prospects, 142; Islanders’
Primeau, Keith, 148, 151
reluctance to market, 158– 60,
Puppa, Daren, fig. 5
187; and kissing incident, 164;
and Milbury, 92– 93, 143, 148; as
Quebec Nordiques, 38, 46, 96
rookie prospect, 21; as star player,
Ranford, Bill, 79
133, 141, 158– 59, 160, 161, 166;
Ray, Rob, 93
traded from Islanders, 190, 191
rebrand, Islanders: Brett Lindros as
Palleschi, Ralph, 6, 89, 113, 123
face of, 21, 22, 25, 30– 31, 68– 69,
Persson, Stefan, 119
71, 85; fan reaction to, xviii, 29,
Philadelphia Eagles, 9
35, 65– 66, 103– 4, 107– 8, 118, 128–
Philadelphia Flyers, 24– 27, 30, 109–
29, 130– 31, 135, 136, 209; manage-
10, 179
ment marketing of, 56– 59, 104,
Phillie Phanatic, 18, 29
119– 20, 130; media reaction to,
Phillips, Chris, fig. 11
47– 51, 53, 63, 69– 71, 103– 4, 116,
Phoenix Coyotes, 145, 156, 175,
129, 138, 214, 218; Milbury as face
176– 77
of, 85, 90, 96, 187; Muller as face
Pickett, Brett, 5, 66, 106, 136– 37,
of, 71; and NHL, 45– 46, 136, 137;
159; and fisherman logo and
as one of worst ever, xvii– xviii,
jerseys, 44– 45, 180; and sale of
xx, 115, 188, 189, 207, 214; origins
Islanders, 175, 176
of decision on, 6– 9
; overselling
Pickett, John, 6, 157– 58, 167, 175,
of, 96; players’ view of, 57, 88,
176; as absentee owner, 149, 212;
117– 19, 192– 93; and Scalera, 1– 2,
and Spano, 169, 171, 172
3, 8, 10– 11, 15– 16, 46; Spano as
Pilon, Rich, fig. 17, 77, 88, 191; on
face of, 150, 156– 58, 173– 74; and
fisherman logo and jersey, 57, 67,
Spano scandal, 173; unveiling
272
INDEX
of, 46, 56, 63– 65, 107, 108. See
Save the Islanders Coalition (STIC),
also brands; fisherman logo and
129, 135, 157
jersey; logo design
Scalera, Fred: on branding debacle,
rebrands: as holistic change, 186– 87;
43, 187; and rebranding deci-
lessons about, 185– 87; need for
sions, 1– 2, 3, 8, 10– 11, 15– 16, 46
research before undertaking, 49,
Schenectady Daily Gazette, 47– 48
131, 185, 217– 18; by other NHL
Schneider, Mathieu, 85, 110, 112,
teams, 1, 2– 3, 8, 186; and standard-
125, 131, 159; on fisherman logo
bearer selection, 187; and win-
and jersey, 117, 192; in games,
ning, 49, 96, 123, 137, 142, 185– 86
xii, 39– 40, 42, 46; and Islanders’
Redden, Wade, 81, 82, 89– 90, 91, 93
roster, 77, 87, 98; and rivalry with
Regier, Darcy, 79, 124, 160
Rangers, 128– 29, 191; traded from
Reichel, Robert, 164– 65, 190, 191
Islanders, 133, 190; traded to
Richter, Mike, fig. 10, 9, 40, 134
Islanders, 36
Rinkside, 160
Scissons, Scott, 79, 142
Robinson, Larry, 71
Scozzare, Eddie, 146
Robitaille, Luc, 72
Seattle Mariners, 9
Roenick, Jeremy, 89– 90, 145, 146
Selanne, Teemu, 81
Roosevelt, Theodore, 12
Seldin, David, 183
Rose, Howie, 29, 98, 108, 114, 141,
Semak, Alexander, 89, 91, 93
164; on fisherman logo, 7; on
Serby, Ginger Killian, 39– 40, 84
Gluckstern, 180– 81, 183; hiring of
7th Man, 146, 147, 181; on Spano,
as Islanders’ announcer, 82– 84
157, 173, 174. See also Islander
Rosenthal, Robert, 6, 84, 124, 212;
Insider
and fisherman logo, 65, 104, 137
Severyn, Brent, 100, 113, 121, 194
Ross, Stephen, 175
Shanahan, Brendan, 148
Roy, Patrick, 39
Sioukas, Alex, 108
Ruth, Babe, 195, 259n28
Skehan, Bill, 130
Salo, Tommy, fig. 16, 77, 98, 105,
Slap Shot, 12, 172
144, 191; in games, 42, 102, 109,
SME (Sean Michael Edwards
111, 156; as inconsistent goalie,
Design, Inc.), 197– 98, 213, 219–
78, 115; as Swedish gold- medal
20; designs for NHL teams by, 56,
winner, 47; traded from Island-
194– 95; design work for Islanders
ers, 190
by, 9– 10, 42, 45– 46, 63, 136, 194,
Samuelsson, Ulf, 128, 134– 35
198– 205; and focus- group testing,
Sanderson, Derek, 100
49, 217– 18; and Toronto Raptors
San Jose Sharks, 2, 8, 149
logo, 12, 213
273
INDEX
Smith, Billy, 4, 35, 38, 161, 182
Sports Marketing Quarterly, xix
Smith, D. J., 81– 82
Staubach, Roger, 169– 70
Smith, Jim, 72– 73, 110, 111, 113– 14
Steinbrenner, George, 175
Smith, Mike, 124
Stephenson, Colin, 48– 50
Smith, Neil, 171
St. Louis Blues, 121, 162– 63, 188
Smith, Robert, 147
St. Louis Post- Dispatch, 96
Smolinski, Bryan, 148, 156, 165, 170,
Straka, Martin, 127, 133, 191
191; and fisherman jersey, 155– 56;
Sutter, Brian, 72
and Milbury, 155, 160; traded
Sutter, Duane, 74, 161
from Islanders, 190, 193– 94;
Sweeney, Bob, 94, 100, 109, 113, 133
traded to Islanders, 154– 55
Tampa Bay Lightning, 27, 41– 42, 86,
social media, xviii, 31, 192
94, 153
Söderström, Tommy, fig. 9, 77, 98,
Tavares, John, xvii, xviii
105, 191; and fisherman jersey,
Taylor, Chris, 122, 181– 82, 193
194; in games, 100, 102, 112, 134;
third jerseys, 119, 154, 191, 220; as
and Milbury, 153; on Pálffy, 159;
NHL program, 150, 187, 189, 215
struggles of as goalie, 27, 35, 37,
Thomas, Steve, 7, 26, 32, 42, 89; and
78, 103, 115; traded to Islanders,
contractual issues, 30, 78, 123;
25– 26, 123
traded from Islanders, 94
Somers, Steve, 4– 5, 70, 146– 47
Tichy, Milan, 95
Spano, John: biographical informa-
Tkachuk, Keith, 79, 90
tion on, 149, 169; as con artist
Tonelli, John, 35, 131, 137, 150
and crook, 169– 72, 174– 75, 187;
Toronto Maple Leafs, 36, 101– 3, 127,
conviction and imprisonment of,
153, 179
172– 73, 189; double life of, 167–
Toronto Raptors, 9, 12, 213
69; and Florida Panthers, 149–
Torrey, Bill, 22
50; intent to purchase Islanders
trademarks, 51, 232n106
announced, 156– 57; and Island-
Trottier, Bryan, 4, 10, 56, 179
ers fans, 153, 157, 172, 173– 74; and
Turgeon, Pierre, xii, 7, 21– 22, 26, 32,
Islanders players, 170; media
112; traded from Islanders, 36– 37,
hailing of, 157– 58
38, 39– 40, 55, 77, 92
Sparky the Dragon, 182
SportsChannel, xiii, 98, 107, 136;
Vanbiesbrouck, John, 79
hiring of Rose by, 82– 84
Vancouver Canucks, xiii, 114, 126,
Sports Illustrated, 2, 96, 168, 175
182, 188
Sports Marketing: It’s Not Just a
Vaske, Dennis, 77, 89, 112, 113
Game Anymore (Schaaf ), xix
Vukota, Mick, 63, 147; on Milbury,
274
INDEX
75, 91, 92– 94, 102, 121– 22, 132,
Westfall, Ed, 98– 99, 108, 137, 150, 164
143– 44, 152, 155; on “We want fish “We want fish sticks!” chant, 189, sticks!” chant, 116– 17
206; by Rangers fans, 116– 17, 121,
128, 192, 204, 209– 10
Walker, Rich, 34, 162
WFAN 660 AM, 4, 70, 83, 146
Walsh, Stephen, 6, 11, 30, 66, 84;
and fisherman logo, 43– 44, 64,
Whitman, Walt, 12
65; imprisonment of, 190
Wilpon, Fred, 175
Wang, Charles, 191
Yashin, Alexei, 81, 89
Washington Capitals, 7, 27, 166, 219
Webb, Steve, 179, 216
Zipay, Steve, 70– 71
Weight, Doug, 79, 148
Zyuzin, Andrei, fig. 11
275
Document Outline
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
List of Illustrations
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Birth of a Brand
2. A Frozen-Dinner Franchise
3. The Baymen and the Bruin
4. New Team, Dashed Dream
5. Dead in the Water
6. Spano for President
7. From Savior to Devil
Epilogue
Appendix
Notes
Bibliography
Index
We Want Fish Sticks Page 35