LONG ISLAND, N.Y. -- On Wednesday, the New York Islanders formally introduced their first overall pick, John Tavares, to fans and the media. A few hundred fans packed in to get their first glimpse at their young star at a lunchtime press conference on the floor of the Nassau Coliseum.About 20 rows of fans were seated between the stage and television cameras, and they gave a standing ovation when he was introduced. So much so that if you catch the highlights on TV tonight it might look more like a political rally than a press conference.
So, on a Wednesday in July, the Islanders officially started the John Tavares Era. There was more excitement in the Coliseum than there was on most game nights last season.
Aside from draft parties, this mid-summer press conference was a rare occurrence. But it was the second step in the marketing and selling of Tavares to Long Island. The first step came 12 days ago, when the team selected the center first overall.
On Wednesday, season ticket holders who became such on impulse at the draft party due to excitement over the pick got a chance to meet Tavares and get autographs. There were also ticket reps and a merchandise stands selling Tavares stuff.
A year ago, the Tampa Bay Lightning declared their pick of Steven Stamkos right after they won the draft lottery and the right to the 2008 first overall selection, giving them an extra couple of months to get their "Seen Stamkos?" ad campaign going around the Tampa area. GM Garth Snow gave the Islanders sales team no such advantage this year, but you can bet they'll be hard at work from now until the season starts in October. In fact, Tavares will likely make the rounds on the Island soon, meeting and greeting fans before ever skating on Coliseum ice. The next event for fans to see Tavares is this Sunday, when the team will open one day of rookie camp at its practice facility to the public.
And it seems the Islanders have themselves a very well-mannered and family-friendly young star to sell to New York families -- one of their target demographics over the past few years.
"I couldn't be more excited, thrilled and humbled than to be with the New York Islanders and this community," Tavares said to the crowd.
That's a good thing too, because he's currently Long Island's biggest rock star, and is going to be face-to-face with most of that community during his currently unnamed summer tour (how about Tavares Fest '09?).
