The NHL unanimously approved to place its 31st franchise in Las Vegas starting in the 2017-2018 season. For those keeping count, this will be Las Vegas’s first professional sports team. According to cbssports.com, the Las Vegas team, who yet to be named, will be owned by Bill Foley. In a statement last Wednesday NHL commissioner, Gary Bettman said, “We are pleased to welcome Bill Foley and the city of Las Vegas to the League and are truly excited that an NHL franchise will be the first major professional sports team in this vibrant, growing, global destination city.”
Clearly the commissioner is happy about the expansion, but how do the locals feel? Nevada Senator Harry Reid perfectly captured the essence of the attitude towards the new NHL team saying, “Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world and the perfect venue for professional sports. I applaud the NHL and community leaders for working so hard to bring a professional hockey team to southern Nevada. This NHL expansion team will be a boon for the economy and finally give Las Vegas and sports fans throughout the Silver State a professional hometown team they can proudly rally behind.”
Senator Reid couldn't have said it any better. A professional sports team in Vegas is long overdue. While everything on the Strip is what we are known for, it is not all that we are. It may be hard for some to believe, but there is actual life beyond the Strip. Las Vegas is a fabulous city for a 21st birthday bash or a bachelorette party, but for those that live here and for those under 21, there isn't nearly as much to do. This NHL team is what is going to unite us as a community.
By saying that our city finally has something to stand behind isn't saying that the UNLV Running Rebels, Nevada Wolfpack, Wranglers, or 51’s failed us in any way. This professional sports team will be able to fuse together all the fans from these teams. So whether you graduated from the “School Up North” the “School Down South” or you're a new fan of sports, T-Mobile Arena will welcome all to cheer on the home team come the 2017-2018 season.
For all the doubters that are suggesting that a professional sports team won’t thrive in Las Vegas, the team had sold 14,000 season tickets before the expansion coming to Sin City was even approved. If that isn’t faith… And for those insinuating that it’s purely a tourist trap, Commissioner Bettman put those allegations to rest saying, “This team is about the community. This expansion wasn't to get a tourist to a game. This expansion was serving the 2.1 million people who live and work in Las Vegas and are about life in Las Vegas off the strip.”
Adding a professional sports team to our city is not only a great move for the local community, it can potentially open the floodgates for other teams as well. The Las Vegas Raiders has a pretty good ring to it. Vegas, I hope you’re as ready as I am to embrace a professional sports team, because ready or not, here they come.
