When defining stakeholders for the New York Islanders, it is vital to understand the audience and who holds interest in the program. This step is essential to public relations because it is impossible to cater to every single audience. Instead, we must find certain individuals who will be more likely to engage, or stakeholders.

Who to Cater to: Our Stakeholders

The main stakeholder for these publications would be preexisting Islanders fans. These fans are incredibly passionate about their team and are more likely to attend games and team-related events. The goal for reaching out to these fans would be to increase attendance to games and offer special deals to drive engagement with the team.

This image from the NHL website shows the spirit of Islanders fans.

Clearly, preexisting fans are a large target market for Islanders publications and news. However, there are a few other stakeholders that may be worth pursuing.

Another stakeholder that Islanders publications may benefit from are local businesses around the the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. There are many restaurants and bars in the area that are often busy before Islanders games. Elmont residents may not be dedicated fans of the Islanders team, but by increasing publications to these local businesses, residents will experience an increase in awareness about the team and its accomplishments. By offering publications and special offers to these local businesses, these residents may be more likely to attend Islanders games at the UBS Arena.

This image from Pinterest shows the residencies of Elmont, NY.

Because there is a bustling population in Elmont (approximately 37,000, according to World Population Review‘s website), sending publications to local businesses may help drive brand awareness and attendance for the New York Islanders.

The last important stakeholder for New York Islanders publications to consider are sponsors. According to recent news, NFP has entered a sponsorship with the New York Islanders, driving community impact and engagement. By catering publication to NFP, the New York Islanders can increase their impact in the local community and across the globe. This stakeholder is important because it can further the reputation of the New York Islanders and catalyze action and change throughout the community.

Why Stakeholders?

It is important to define stakeholders in PR because it is impossible to cater messages to every available audience. By defining stakeholders, PR practitioners and brands can shift their focus on groups who are likely to engage with them, increasing the impact of their messages and publications. In this way, the brand can develop long-lasting relationships with those they identify as stakeholders.