The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) Department of Tourism and the New York Jets NFL franchise have announced a multi-year partnership.
According to a USVI release, starting the 2023 NFL season, the USVI will be named the official Caribbean destination partner for the Jets, collaborating through various fan-facing channels and events to promote year-round visitation to the USVI.
“There’s no better time than now to kick off
this partnership between the U.S. Virgin Islands and the New York Jets,” Joseph Boschulte, USVI Department of Tourism’s commissioner said in the press release.“The New York Metropolitan area is one of our main feeder markets, and we could not pass on the opportunity to collaborate with this long-standing franchise to showcase the vibrancy and culture of our beloved islands,” Boschulte added.
During the 2023 season, which for the Jets
begins Monday, Sept. 11 against the Buffalo Bills, the USVI will collaborate with the Jets organization to curate and integrate elements of Caribbean culture into game day giveaways and sweepstakes for fans.“We could not be more thrilled to be partnering with our friends from the U.S. Virgin Islands this season. We see great opportunity to unite our audiences and engage them in not only football but the vibrant culture of America’s Caribbean islands,” said Jeff Fernandez, vice president, business development and ventures for the Jets.
“Having this partnership continues our mission of impacting lives beyond New York and sharing the game of football across the globe.”
The Jets are expected to have a successful regular season after acquiring Super Bowl champion and four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers. The Jets training camp and preseason is currently being documented on the HBO show Hard Knocks
. Last season the Jets struggled, finishing fourth in the AFC East with a 7-10 record and missing the playoffs.The USVI is a United States territory located about 40 miles east of Puerto Rico, which comprises of three islands: St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas.