The Columbus Blue Jackets announced today a new partnership with Johnson’s Real Ice Cream, welcoming the longtime Central Ohio ice cream company as a Proud Partner of the club for the 2026-27 National Hockey League season.
For more than 75 years, Johnson’s Real Ice Cream has been part of the fabric of Central Ohio, beginning with its first shop in Bexley in 1950 and growing to serve communities across the area through its neighborhood ice cream shops. Still family-owned and operated, Johnson’s has built its reputation around quality ice cream, familiar gathering places and the kind of experiences that become part of family traditions.
The partnership marks Johnson’s first collaboration with a professional sports team and brings together two homegrown organizations with strong ties to Central Ohio and a shared connection to the fans and families who call it home.
“This is one of those partnerships that just make sense,” said Ryan Shirk, Blue Jackets Vice President of Corporate Partnerships. “Both the Blue Jackets and Johnson’s Real Ice Cream are proud to be in the Central Ohio community and share a passion for bringing people together. Johnson’s has been a beloved local favorite for generations, and we’re excited to welcome them to the Blue Jackets family. Together, we’ll deliver a unique, and delicious, game-day experience.”
With the new partnership, Johnson’s Real Ice Cream products will be available throughout Nationwide Arena during Blue Jackets home games. Fans can visit three locations on the Main and Upper Concourses, as well as a specialty freezer on the Club Level, to enjoy a variety of the brand’s handcrafted favorites, including classic scoop flavors, ice cream sandwiches and other signature treats.
To celebrate the new relationship, Johnson’s has brought two exclusive Blue Jackets-inspired offerings to Nationwide Arena. The Blue Line Ice Cream Bar features vanilla ice cream dipped in chocolate and shaped like a hockey puck, complete with a hockey stick handle for a fun game-night treat. Fans can also enjoy Cannonball Crunch, a new flavor made with Johnson’s REAL Vanilla Ice Cream blended with OREO™ cookie pieces, toffee, chocolate chips and sprinkles. Created exclusively for Blue Jackets fans, the flavor will surely bring the boom to your tastebuds.
“We’re really looking forward to what this partnership can bring,” said Matt Wilcoxon, President of Johnson’s Real Ice Cream. “There’s something special about being part of the energy at Nationwide Arena and creating a new way for fans to experience Johnson’s. We’re excited to have some fun with it, introduce a few new offerings and be part of Blue Jackets game nights in a way we think fans are really going to enjoy.”
The partnership will continue to develop throughout the season, with more opportunities for fans to enjoy Johnson’s Real Ice Cream both inside and outside of Nationwide Arena.
The Columbus Blue Jackets 2026-27 regular season begins at Nationwide Arena on Thursday, Oct. 1 with Opening Night, presented by Nationwide. Single-game tickets for home games played at Nationwide Arena are on sale now at www.BlueJackets.com and www.Ticketmaster.com.
About Johnson’s Real Ice Cream
Founded in 1950 in Bexley, Ohio, Johnson’s Real Ice Cream is a fourth-generation, family-owned and operated ice cream company known for family-recipe flavors and the REAL experiences created around every scoop. What began as a neighborhood ice cream shop has grown into a beloved Central Ohio favorite, with 11 locations across the area, including Nationwide Arena. Johnson’s also operates a growing catering business and wholesale division. For more than 75 years, Johnson’s has remained committed to quality, community and the simple belief that every scoop should be real, memorable and worth sharing.