New York Islanders Announce First-of-its-kind Contest

The New York Islanders have asked their fans to design their third jersey for the 2027-2028 season, in what is a first in league history.

"Islanders fans are among the most passionate in all of sports, and their emotional investment is the heartbeat of this franchise," said Kelly Cheeseman, president of business operations for the Islanders and UBS Arena, in a statement released Wednesday, July 8.

Cheeseman continued "with this contest, we are breaking down traditional boundaries and inviting Isles Nation directly into the design room to do something that has never been done before in our league. Our Third Jersey will truly belong to the fans, born from their passion and chosen by their voice."

Fans will have until July 24 to submit their designs, which must be created using a digital tool provided by the Islanders. This tool "includes historic logos and patches, official team fonts, and a wide color palette," said the team.

This design tool ensures that all submissions will comply with National Hockey League regulations for jerseys, but will also include a "notes" section for fans to flex even more creativity with additional suggestions.

A committee from the Islanders will review submissions and narrow the pool down to five finalists, said the team on Wednesday. Fans will then vote for their favorite in early August. The winner will receive a team-signed jersey and tickets to a game in the 2027-28 season where the jersey will be worn.

What is a third jersey?

A third jersey, sometimes called an alternate jersey, serves as an additional uniform for an NHL team. Normally, teams wear a solid-colored jersey when playing at home, and a white jersey when playing away.

Not all teams have third jerseys. In fact, the Islanders themselves have not worn one since 2024.

A third jersey is sometimes used to highlight an additional color in the team's logo, or is used as a way to commemorate part of the team's history.

NHL teams are typically permitted to wear their third jersey for 10 to 15 games, but permission can be given for more games.

Fans, and teams, react

On social media, reaction to the news of the contest was largely positive. The Islanders reported that about 30,000 entries were submitted in the first 24 hours of the contest.

"Just a super cool thing for the islanders to do. I love this so much. Perfect for a third jersey that’s supposed to reflect the hometown based on what I’ve seen about the other ones," said one user on X.

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At least one NHL team took the time to "submit" designs of their own -- featuring their own colors.

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