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

[trew]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Very, very long read about the potential of a team in Vegas:

http://vegasseven.com/2015/01/15/bad...nhl-franchise/



What is curious is that they are only planning 42 suites for this building? That is an oddly low number,

According to this:
http://arenalasvegas.com/about/suite...lub-seats.aspx

Suites: 42
Loge/Opera Boxes : 26
Terrace Club Tables : 14
Club Seats: 1,600
Event Level Club Seats : 250
Party Suite/Sponsor Decks: 2
Event Level Suites: 8
Sponsor Tower Clubs: 2

Looks like there are about 96 "private lease" spaces and 1850 club seats. (This includes 42 "regular" suites, in addition to loge, and event level suites. There are also other decks, tables and clubs.)

If the club seats are like the Staples Center, they will be seat license for all events at the building, and these should also sell out in a Vegas market with lots of high profile concerts and events.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Locke

How many is normal?

Lets put it this way: Winnipeg and Edmonton have more luxury suites. Calgary has about 30 more. Though these arenas lack many of the other things Trew points out. Would be interesting to see how many of those other options carry PSLs, as that is where the guaranteed money for suites comes from.

However, newer arenas tend to have 70-100 suites. Barclays Center in Brooklyn has 101. Glendale, as one of the smaller recent rinks, has 87. 76 in New Jersey.

[GioforPM]

If you are banking on comps from casinos you'd put in more individual seats and maybe small boxes or tables. Because casinos would give away tickets to individuals, couples or maybe small groups, not the 12-14 bodies that occupy a suite.

[JBR]

Midnight hockey? Good luck getting the PA to sign off on that one.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by JBR

Midnight hockey? Good luck getting the PA to sign off on that one.

Take the $50K fine.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by JBR

Midnight hockey? Good luck getting the PA to sign off on that one.

Outdoor hockey? Good luck getting the PA to sign off on that one.

[sureLoss]

http://www.tsn.ca/owners-say-nhl-exp...llion-1.188094

A prospective NHL team in Las Vegas should generate at least $450 million in expansion fees for the league, two NHL owners told TSN.

“It’s going to be between $450 million and $500 million. I bet it comes in at about $475 million,” one owner told TSN, requesting anonymity because the league does not like owners to speak publicly about such issues.

A second NHL owner subsequently agreed with the prediction.

$475 million means $15.8 million per team that they don't have to share with the players.

[killer_carlson]

and it also means 23 more jobs for the NHLPA.

Let's not overlook that either.

[#-3]

Originally Posted by The_Future

This is such a weird thing. This team will have basically NO fan base, all the fans will be for the away team. I mean I will probably go watch ALL of my Flames games there. It is sooooo cheap for me to fly/stay in Vegas as compared to going to Calgary. Do not get me wrong I would very much prefer to come to Calgary to watch a game.

However when you factor in 10 hours drive to Calgary ($300 in fuel both ways) vs 2 Hour flight to Vegas ($300 - $400 round trip). Hotels in Calgary at least $100 a night? Hotels in Vegas Free-$45 a night. Tickets to the game Calgary ($90-$300?), Tickets to Vegas (Free-$90).

Yes free tickets. Guaranteed hotels will throw in free tickets if you stay at their hotel. If not I am sure you all easily get game day tickets for probably $10-$90.

In my experience just under 19 hours would be a vary good driving time. I think the flight is usually 2.5H down & 3H back, but I could have those reversed?

I also think Vegas is more than big enough & wealthy enough to support a pro team, the real question is will they support hockey? I don't buy the argument that nobody lives there and every one works nights, their metro area if about 60% larger than Calgary's.

[sevenarms]

Originally Posted by #-3

In my experience just under 19 hours would be a vary good driving time. I think the flight is usually 2.5H down & 3H back, but I could have those reversed?

I don't think that guy lives in Calgary.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

and it also means 23 more jobs for the NHLPA.

Let's not overlook that either.

And more money overall if the expansion team produces above-average revenue. Doubled or trebled if the 32nd team is in the GTA.

That expansion fee seems appropriate given Forbes estimates the average NHL team is worth $490 million.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by JBR

Midnight hockey? Good luck getting the PA to sign off on that one.

Is it really any worse than starting a game at noon? One is 7 hours before a normal start time and the other is 5 hours after a normal start time.

For Eastern teams on west coast road trips, they're starting every game at 10 or 10:30 pm Eastern Time and the games are ending well after midnight. Sure, the games are normal start times for the home teams, but they're still going to mess up the rhythms of the visitors.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by getbak

Is it really any worse than starting a game at noon? One is 7 hours before a normal start time and the other is 5 hours after a normal start time.

For Eastern teams on west coast road trips, they're starting every game at 10 or 10:30 pm Eastern Time and the games are ending well after midnight. Sure, the games are normal start times for the home teams, but they're still going to mess up the rhythms of the visitors.

I think the problem with midnight hockey would be more for TV viewership.

The average fan isn't going to watch hockey at midnight. If I am up at midnight on a weekend I am not watching hockey

[getbak]

The NHL is still a gate-driven league.

A Vegas vs Arizona game isn't going to have anyone watching on tv whether it's played at 7pm or midnight. So, if they can get a better crowd at midnight, why not play it at midnight?

[Weitz]

But would they get a better crowd at midnight?

If your goal is to have a ton of local season ticket holders, are they going to want to watch at midnight?

If I am a tourist coming to Vegas am I going to want to go to an NHL game at midnight? Or go watch someone like Tiesto at Hakkasan?

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Weitz

But would they get a better crowd at midnight?

If your goal is to have a ton of local season ticket holders, are they going to want to watch at midnight?

They seem to think so. That's why they're talking about doing it.

[amazing_oilers]

I would love this and would hope they'd schedule some Canadian teams on Saturday nights. Would be a sweet weekend getaway.

[Stay Golden]

I can see a lot of people with the financial means traveling to see their "own" team in LV. But it is going to be interesting to see what the actual number of local residents of LV Season Ticket holders that are going to go to the games and support the local team.
We all know that finding a market for visiting fans won't be any issue but thousands of LV based fans I don't think so.
Hockey in the desert with an extreme low local support fan base I thought the NHL has already seen this experiment before.
But I'm sure if the NHL wants this then it will get voted through because all the owners will have their hands out for their share of the expansion fees between $450m-$500 million.
Then 5 years from that time this franchise will have the same attendance issues for games as PHX does. Especially the home games Mon-Thursday.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Weitz

But would they get a better crowd at midnight?

If your goal is to have a ton of local season ticket holders, are they going to want to watch at midnight?

If I am a tourist coming to Vegas am I going to want to go to an NHL game at midnight? Or go watch someone like Tiesto at Hakkasan?

The Las Vegas Wranglers did midnight games that drew up to 50% more fans than games on the same day at the normal start time.

[sureLoss]

Ticket prices have been released:
http://www.lasvegas-hockey.com/Docum...%20Pricing.pdf