Project Challenge

Create a mobile app that allows Jets fans to take the inspiration and excitement of the J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets! Jets! chant and allow fans to customize it for fun and sharing.

Project Detail

The Jets were looking for a way to allow their fans to take the inspiration and excitement of the J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets! Jets! chant and customize it for fun and sharing. Fireman Ed sought a way to display the passion he has for the Jets to the millions of fans who can’t always see him in person. The result is the creation of a truly dynamic and interactive mobile app that allows users to create their own Jets chant. The app concept was the brainchild of Jets SVP, Thad Sheely and "Fireman" Ed Anzalone.

About Fireman Ed

Ed Anzalone (born c. 1959), better known as Fireman Ed, has been an enthusiastic fan of the New York Jets since he was a kid. He is one of, if not the, most well-known National Football League fans. Ed was one of the first fans to chant, "J-E-T-S, Jets!, Jets!, Jets!" having witnessed another fan doing it at a Jets vs. Baltimore Colts game in Shea Stadium in Nov of 1983. Ed insists that he merely leads the chant and that it originated elsewhere. In 1999, Fireman Ed was included in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the Hall of Fans.

Ed was an actual New York City firefighter and was injured on the job in 2007, causing him to miss the 2007 season (Jets went 4-12 that season). Anzalone wears Bruce Harper's jersey to games, which he chose on a trip to Gerry Cosby’s at MSG with friends. Until the new Jets stadium was built Ed had been leading the J-E-T-S chant from Section 134 of the Meadowlands since 1986. He now resides in the lower section of the end zone at one end of the new stadium.

Omnigon value

Omnigon developed an app that allows Jets fans to enter the chant they’d like to hear by typing a word for Ed to spell. The app then creates a video-like experience of Fireman Ed spelling and chanting the letters of that word, followed by a voice recording that the user creates which is treated with audio effects and crowd noise to simulate the in-stadium chant. The user can also add a custom video clip ending of Ed saying something inspiring and funny, and then share their custom NY Jets chant via email, Facebook or YouTube.

Omnigon chose to develop sophisticated on-the-fly video assembly that is based on user input. The Omnigon team directed a green screen video shoot where Ed was instructed to create the assets the technical team would need to build the environment. This included visually spelling out the entire alphabet, responding to questions and providing his extremely animated and passionate views on all things Jets.