Huntington's Blue Line Deli Partners With Islanders, Shaq, For UBS Arena Food

HUNTINGTON, NY — Donald Rosner drew on his love for the New York Islanders when opening the Blue Line Deli in Huntington a year-and-a-half ago. The hockey-themed deli is an ode to the NHL club Rosner grew up watching and has been a diehard fan of since he was a boy. The Islanders have now drawn some inspiration of their own from Rosner's deli.

UBS Arena, the franchise's new home, is set to open its doors to fans for the first time on Saturday as the Islanders take on the Calgary Flames. The concessions of the Islanders arena will feature a Blue Line Deli kiosk among its New York-inspired food options. At a separate kiosk, Blue Line Deli, the Islanders, and Shaquille O'Neal's Big Chicken will debut a sandwich collaboration called "The Islander."

Rosner said he still can't quite believe that he is partnering with the Islanders and retired NBA superstar O'Neal to feed Islanders fans during the team's home games.

"Getting to be a fan and getting to be involved with the team, getting to hang out with Shaquille O’Neal; that only happened because of the road we’ve been on," Rosner told Patch. "This has been absolutely surreal and just amazing."

A couple of months ago, Rosner got a call from someone with the Islanders who asked him if he would be interested in working together to create a sandwich with a company called Big Chicken, a West Coast venture that, unbeknownst to Rosner, was owned by O'Neal. The hope was for a food item that was unapologetically New York and could be sold exclusively at UBS Arena.

Rosner believed his deli's bagels should be part of the culinary creation. The end result: crispy Buffalo chicken with cream cheese and blue cheese sandwiched on an Islanders-themed blue and orange bagel.

Islanders new @UBSArena opening next Saturday will have a @BigChickenShaq.

In collaboration with local Blue Line Deli & Bagels, stand will feature “The Islander.”

A crispy Buffalo chicken sandwich with cream cheese and blue cheese served on a blue & orange bagel. pic.twitter.com/pZxuzNsUnT
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) November 11, 2021

Rosner shipped the bagels to Big Chicken for them to try, and he says they absolutely loved them.

"Two months later, they have the sandwich and I’m at a press conference with Shaquille O’Neal," Rosner said. "He’s towering over me, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, this guy is just huge. He makes me look like a little boy standing next to him.’ It was just a very cool experience."

Rosner said O'Neal was a "big sweetheart" and "literally one of the nicest guys."

"When I shook his hand, I was just thinking, ‘I’ve got to make sure to give him a nice, strong handshake,'" he said.

"The Islander" sandwich will be exclusive to O'Neal's Big Chicken kiosk at UBS Arena, though that is not where the partnership between the team and Blue Line Deli ends.

New York, you ready?! 🐔🔥🙌 We are excited to announce that we are opening our second in-arena location at @UBSarena, the new home of @NYIslanders! This location will offer a sandwich named THE ISLANDER feat. a royal blue and orange bagel from @BlueLineDeli719. #BigChickenShaq pic.twitter.com/hQ1L56A4kK
— Big Chicken (@BigChickenShaq) November 11, 2021

The franchise is choosing three Blue Line Deli sandwiches to serve at Islanders home games.

Rosner said it is "surreal" that his food will be served at his favorite team's arena.

"I still don’t quite believe it. I’ve seen the place a couple of times now, and it gets more and more finished every time I see it," he said. "When we go in there, and there are fans there and everything, I don’t even know how it’s going to feel, because it’s been pretty crazy already."

Blue Line Deli has become something of a middleman between Islanders fans and the team itself, Rosner said. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, and the Islanders were among the teams in the NHL playoffs competing in empty arenas, the connection between the team and fans became interrupted. With fans unable to attend games in-person, the Islanders turned to small businesses like Blue Line Deli for item giveaways.

"We kind of became the place that the Islanders sent people to give away free shirts, towels, keychains, pens, and all the fun stuff they want to do," Rosner said. "That, to me, is the best part of this place."

Blue Line Deli's connection to the Islanders has only grown now that its food will fill the bellies of passionate fans at the team's new home.

"I’m extremely grateful to everybody who’s supported us and got us to this point," Rosner said. "It’s still all a dream to me. I absolutely love my job. I love the position that I’m in. I get to work with the team. I get to meet tons of amazing people. I’m just extremely grateful."

Blue Line Deli is at 719 W. Jericho Turnpike, Huntington.

.@BigChickenShaq x @BlueLineDeli719

The Islander, a sandwich we didn’t know we needed. pic.twitter.com/jEJgFQm9ck
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) November 11, 2021