We break down some of the big reasons why Las Vegas and the NHL are a match.
1. It would be the only show in town. Well, sort of. With no other big league sports team in town, the NHL could be the first to capitalize on the Vegas market. (Not to mention, hockey could be a welcome reprieve for sports fans who aren’t big on going to see Britney Spears.) Speaking of Britney Spears, the abundance of live shows offered in Vegas do not come at a cheap price anx while the NHL wouldn’t be the most expensive ticket in the city, they wouldn’t be given away cheap either. Whether it’s fans buying seats, or casinos paying for them and giving them out to high rollers, an NHL game would be a unique experience in Vegas and provide an anchor for the new arena to fill schedule dates with.
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2. If you build it, they will come. Las Vegas Arena is being built as we speak, and its 20,000-person capacity (17,500 for hockey) is pretty much tailored for hockey crowds. The arena will also host a plethora of other events, like boxing, UFC and concerts.
3. An ownership group is (reportedly) in line. According to reports, the Maloof family is said to be the owners-in-waiting should the NHL expand or relocate here. The family has a fairly long-standing relationship with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, as the two worked together to bring the annual NHL awards show to Vegas in 2009. For a city to land an expansion or relocated franchise, it needs and arena and an owner. Vegas appears to have both set up.
4. East versus West. Right now, there are two more teams in the Eastern Conference (16) than there are in the West (14), making for a lopsided league. Before any expansion can happen in the East, it would first need to happen in the West. Enter Vegas, the great equalizer.
5. The NHL could be the anchor tenant. Being the anchor tenant equals a huge payload for the league. It’s also a great incentive for the NHL to move to Vegas over another potential market like Seattle. Seattle’s arena construction relies on the city landing an NBA team first, which means hockey would play second fiddle to another professional league. Being the anchor tenant means a much bigger opportunity to sell tickets, since they would be the only regular sports show playing out of the venue. Not to mention, in a place like Vegas with all of its casinos, shows and VIP packages, it could prove to be that ticket sales aren’t aimed at individuals, but rather at casinos and resorts. The possibilities of selling tickets are seemingly endless, unlike in some other southern markets, which means a successful NHL franchise could indeed be in the cards for Las Vegas.
