[News] Update: NHL green lights season-ticket drive for Las Vegas

[foshizzle11]

I would definitely plan a trip around when the Flames are playing in Vegas, that would be great fun. Seeing a game in a state of the art arena would be quite refreshing compared to what we do at home, at the dome. I like to drink cheap beer and gamble when I'm there. Adding in a game would be great and something I would do.

I like the idea of having restaurants that surround the ice surface, open concept of course so there is still the fan aspect. Instead of boxes, have these pubs and restaurants. With like 8,000 seats in the lower bowl or something. I think that would be a unique experience.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by foshizzle11

I would definitely plan a trip around when the Flames are playing in Vegas, that would be great fun. Seeing a game in a state of the art arena would be quite refreshing compared to what we do at home, at the dome. I like to drink cheap beer and gamble when I'm there. Adding in a game would be great and something I would do.

I like the idea of having restaurants that surround the ice surface, open concept of course so there is still the fan aspect. Instead of boxes, have these pubs and restaurants. With like 8,000 seats in the lower bowl or something. I think that would be a unique experience.

The pub/lounge idea does sound attractive especially if there is female entertainment in case the game really sucks.

[Hockey Fan #751]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

So you're going to Vegas and not going to sleep for 48 hours, but you are going to spend 3 hours to go watch a hockey game, something you do at home anyways? (or see a Cirque show?)

What if the intermission entertainment is ridiculous, like Garth Brooks or Prince or something?

[InglewoodFan]

Found an article from October, it looks like there is actually two arena projects on the books for Vegas. This second one seems to be a bit shakier financially than the MGM project. http://n.accessvegas.com/VOUtbF49k554

[Buff]

Originally Posted by InglewoodFan

Found an article from October, it looks like there is actually two arena projects on the books for Vegas. This second one seems to be a bit shakier financially than the MGM project. http://n.accessvegas.com/VOUtbF49k554

I'm still not convinced the other arena will happen. I guess we'll see in 30-40 days if ground breaking happens.

Here's another article on it: http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/20...Be+In+The+Game

[sureLoss]

NHL now openly admitting they are considering Vegas for expansion:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/282230571.html

And NHL officials no longer are striking down the notion that expansion might be on the horizon. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said Monday that, while in Las Vegas for other business this past weekend, he met again with a potential ownership group that has expressed an interest in owning a franchise.

Daly, in an interview in his Manhattan office, said he also got a chance to tour the site next to New York New York Hotel and Casino where a $350 million, 20,000-seat arena is being built by MGM Resorts. MGM also has had preliminary talks with the potential owners who want the arena to house their prospective NHL team. The arena is expected to be completed by 2016, and Daly looked at suite mock-ups: “It’s nice,” he said.

Las Vegas is intriguing, Daly admits. In fact, out of curiosity, Daly queried a bunch of service industry folks — bartenders, waiters, drink servers, dealers, pit bosses — last weekend about whether they felt a professional sports team could thrive there.

“I got a variety of different responses,” Daly said. “The demographics of the market are pretty good in terms of average annual income. Las Vegas natives earn good salaries, good livings. I think they genuinely like sports. It’s a nighttime city, so it would have to be uniquely scheduled in terms of focusing maybe on industry nights as opposed to your typical Thursday-Saturday nights where everybody would be working.

“Clearly we think for a Las Vegas market to support a professional sports franchise, you need the support of locals.”

There’s little doubt casinos would gobble up tickets for customers and high rollers, but Daly said, laughing, “You can’t depend on tourists to fill your building every night — even rich ones. You really need a local fan base.

“What’s difficult on making a call on Vegas is it’s such a unique market. It’s really hard to know. The owners are going to have to be satisfied that the prospects of putting a franchise there are good and the fundamentals are solid.”

Daly also talks about players potentially getting in trouble

[ExiledFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

NHL now openly admitting they are considering Vegas for expansion:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/282230571.html





Daly also talks about players potentially getting in trouble

NFL, NBA, MLB-no interest in Vegas whatsoever.

NHL-let's go to Vegas we're so smart. Hockey in the desert works.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by ExiledFlamesFan

NFL, NBA, MLB-no interest in Vegas whatsoever.

NHL-let's go to Vegas we're so smart. Hockey in the desert works.

I'm not sure that's what it is, I think the other major sports may be as unsure as the NHL is in terms of local support, as well as a bit hesitant of Vegas being such a gambling mecca.

If the NHL went there and did well I'm guessing the other major sports would take a pretty serious look at it. I think all the major sports are pretty hesitant to jump in first.

[Violator]

Originally Posted by Buff

I'm still not convinced the other arena will happen. I guess we'll see in 30-40 days if ground breaking happens.

Here's another article on it: http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/20...Be+In+The+Game

http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/20...+York-New+York



Doubtful for next year maybe the year after?

[JJ1532]

I think you are spot on there KFF. Nobody wants to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a completely unknown entity. Any major sports clubs there could become a real hit, or they could massively flop. You are right though, I think if the NHL got some success there(although whether thats in a business sense or a "NHL team does well" sense I don't know) and things take off, then the other major leagues would look at also expanding into that area.

I think any Vegas team is going to struggle for proper fans though. Sure plenty of neutral tourists and hockey fans will go and watch a game if they have the chance, but what about actual Vegas fans? I can't imagine any of the locals would actually take to the team, but you never know.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by JJ1532

I think you are spot on there KFF. Nobody wants to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a completely unknown entity. Any major sports clubs there could become a real hit, or they could massively flop. You are right though, I think if the NHL got some success there(although whether thats in a business sense or a "NHL team does well" sense I don't know) and things take off, then the other major leagues would look at also expanding into that area.

I think any Vegas team is going to struggle for proper fans though. Sure plenty of neutral tourists and hockey fans will go and watch a game if they have the chance, but what about actual Vegas fans? I can't imagine any of the locals would actually take to the team, but you never know.

Although minor, the Wranglers have been a pretty stable hockey team since 2003, and (from Wikipedia) "The Wranglers have garnered many accolades from the local media, including the Las Vegas Review-Journal naming the Wranglers "Best Local Sports Team" three times (2005, 2006, 2009) and head coach Glen Gulutzan "Best Local Coach" (2007, 2009)". I can only think that there would be a dedicated (albeit initially diminutive) fan base that may grow from there. Also, the Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is around 2 million people. And none with a major league sports team.

While tourists would definitely snap up tickets and grow the game for international fans, I think the local fan base would be open to this.

[ExiledFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

I'm not sure that's what it is, I think the other major sports may be as unsure as the NHL is in terms of local support, as well as a bit hesitant of Vegas being such a gambling mecca.

If the NHL went there and did well I'm guessing the other major sports would take a pretty serious look at it. I think all the major sports are pretty hesitant to jump in first.

It simply boils down to demographics and economics.

The biggest employment sector in Vegas is the service industry. About a third of all those employed in Las Vegas work in service. The service industry generally doesn't pay well and has terrible hours which would directly conflict with a hockey team.

Daly himself alluded to this is the article, talking about not scheduling games on weekends in LV.

The median household income is $51 000, below the American average. Plus the city is small in comparison to other American cities. It is 31st in metro population behind places like Cleveland and Orlando.

I'd be fine with moving the Coyotes to Las Vegas, it couldn't get much worse, but granting Las Vegas an expansion franchise is a bad idea on many fronts.

[driveway]

Why wouldn't people who live in Vegas embrace a sports team? I mean, I get that the NHL would probably have the biggest uphill slog of any of the major teams just because hockey. But, the population of Vegas is 600,000; 1.3 million metro. It's becoming a retirement destination, a family city.

People who live there - it's said - avoid the strip, but other than golf what is there to do? Isn't it at least probable that a major league team would be embraced by the people there as something they could hold up as representative of the town outside of the gambling?

[surferguy]

I hope they name the team The Flamingos

[Jacks]

As a tourist I would love to see a Vegas team. It would be a good excuse to fly down and see a game considering how expensive it is to get good seats here. That said I'm not sure that the locals would support a NHL team through 40+ games, regular incomes there just aren't that high and I question whether Nevada residents give a crap about hockey.

NFL is a different story, I bet every game would be a sellout. NFL fans are rabid about their teams and I could see thousands flying in for their teams games. It would suck for the home team having so many opposing supporters but it would be a major benefit for the local economy having people flying in for Thursday/Sunday/Monday games and staying a couple of days as opposed to flying in Friday afternoon and leaving Sunday afternoon.

[ExiledFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by driveway

Why wouldn't people who live in Vegas embrace a sports team? I mean, I get that the NHL would probably have the biggest uphill slog of any of the major teams just because hockey. But, the population of Vegas is 600,000; 1.3 million metro. It's becoming a retirement destination, a family city.

A population of 600 000 is tiny by American standards. Surely somebody living in Taipei would appreciate this.

Putting professional sports teams in retirement communities is a bad idea. It's failed many times before. See: All south Florida sports teams, Phoenix Coyotes. Old people don't have the disposable income. Also they follow their old teams and rarely switch allegiances

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Violator

Doubtful for next year maybe the year after?

It is scheduled to open in April 2016.

[JJ1532]

Originally Posted by driveway

Why wouldn't people who live in Vegas embrace a sports team? I mean, I get that the NHL would probably have the biggest uphill slog of any of the major teams just because hockey. But, the population of Vegas is 600,000; 1.3 million metro. It's becoming a retirement destination, a family city.

People who live there - it's said - avoid the strip, but other than golf what is there to do? Isn't it at least probable that a major league team would be embraced by the people there as something they could hold up as representative of the town outside of the gambling?

Because how easy is it to simply plonk a new team in a city and expect to develop a proper fan base, not just your everyday tourists/neutral hockey fans? Look at Arizona as the perfect example. Las Vegas has a 1.3m metro, Pheonix has a 4.4m metro and they can only get 13,000 fans in. Thats a franchise that has had 18 years to develop a fan base and still can't.

Ok, they are competing with other major sports teams, something Vegas won't have, but what evidence is there to suggest that your average Vegas resident would embrace Ice Hockey? I think there is a clear reason why none of the other major sports have expanded or moved into this market. Because they think it would fail.

If this Vegas team caught on and did well very quickly, I think it would have a fighting chance, but if it doesn't, then you will end up with another failing franchise on your hands, losing money hand over fist.

What annoys me is that they will keep failing franchises like Arizona and Florida in place and won't move them. What also annoys me is that other areas like Seattle and Quebec would be much better choices to expand into before Vegas. I think once the novelty factor of any new franchise wears off in Vegas, you could easily see them with less crowds than the Panthers or Coyotes, even factoring heavily discounted tickets or the tourist crowd.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by ExiledFlamesFan

Daly himself alluded to this is the article, talking about not scheduling games on weekends in LV.

Yes, which is why I think you'd see a lot of weekday games along with weekend afternoon games. It could work.

I'm not even 100% sure it would work myself, but I do see the possibilities. Great location for the rink, great tourist trap, there's a decent gamble there to take for the league (pun intended).

I think for the NHL, being the weakest of the 4 major sports in the U.S., to take the leap of faith and put a franchise in Vegas is worth the risk. I really hope it works.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by driveway

Why wouldn't people who live in Vegas embrace a sports team? I mean, I get that the NHL would probably have the biggest uphill slog of any of the major teams just because hockey. But, the population of Vegas is 600,000; 1.3 million metro. It's becoming a retirement destination, a family city.

People who live there - it's said - avoid the strip, but other than golf what is there to do? Isn't it at least probable that a major league team would be embraced by the people there as something they could hold up as representative of the town outside of the gambling?

where did you read this?

Maybe South Summerlin, but the majority of Las Vegas is a total dump.

As for the locals... a lot of people just spend a lot of time trying to run errands and survive, as sad as that sounds. I've seen working girls stop by Wal Mart to do some shopping, probably before or after a shift lol.