Ticketmaster is sponsoring the in-venue mobile initiatives of the National Hockey League?s New York Islanders.

The team tapped Txtstation to bring real-time mobile interactivity to fans throughout the current NHL season. The partnership will let fans at home games send pictures and text messages to be displayed on the arena video board and participate in real-time polls and trivia contests via their mobile phones.

?The strategy behind the launch of the New York Islanders? mobile initiatives is to help sell tickets and get consumers to opt in so they can send out SMS blasts before and after every game and score alerts for fans to get a text message saying who won and what the score was,? said Michael Falato, vice president of sales and business development for Txtstation, Austin, TX.

?They picked us this year over a different mobile company because of our real-time interactive components, our ability to work with companies such as Chyron and Daktronics and the quality of our graphics, which help to engage fans and encourage them to text in to engage with the team,? he said.

Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. is a ticket sales and distribution company based in West Hollywood, CA, with operations in many countries worldwide.

Ticketmaster established the Ticketexchange by Ticketmaster  to try to compete with eBay?s StubHub, their main tagline being that tickets are 100 percent guaranteed to be authentic, since they are sold through the season ticket holder's account.

Txtstation is a mobile marketing company specializing in sports and entertainment.

Txtstation elicits fan interaction with mobile calls-to-action displayed on the video board in the New York Islanders? Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, NY.

For example, Islander fans are asked to email their pictures to .

The Have Your Say feature lets fans text the keyword SAY and think message to short code 88222 to get their thoughts broadcasted on the video screen and the digital ticker tape encircling the arena.

Txtstation also powers trivia and polls, testing fans knowledge of the Islanders and asking their opinion on various topics.

A Zamboni race feature lets fans give a boost to their favorite on-screen Zamboni by texting in.

Once they text-in to participate in any of the mobile initiatives, fans are asked to opt in to receive alerts and promotions via SMS from the New York Islanders.

Txtstation also developed a Web-based tool so people can sign up for the text club online.

Txtstation?s current and past NHL relationships include the Philadelphia Flyers, Phoenix Coyotes, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals.

During the 2009 MLB season, Txtstation ran an in-park mobile campaign with the New York Mets.

?Their whole objective is trying to get people engaged and build a database where fans opt in to receive messages from the team, such as buy tickets the next game and keep in mind that the New York Islanders are the hometown team,? Mr. Falato said. ?It?s a great way to connect with fans.?