The Vegas Golden Knights have won the Western Conference and took a trip to the Stanley Cup Final. It goes without saying, the Golden Knights first season in the NHL has been historic and a huge success. 2018 marks the first time since 1968 that an NHL expansion team reached the Stanley Cup. The St. Louis Blues did just that in the 1967-68 season. The Washington Capitals defeated Vegas in the Stanley Cup Final in five games. An NHL franchise in Las Vegas was a huge gamble for the league. Fans and critics were skeptical that hockey could play out in the middle of the desert. The Arizona Coyotes have had little to no playoff success and poor attendance records, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that a Vegas franchise could fail. So now that we know that hockey can make it in Vegas, the question is, what other leagues can be successful in the Entertainment Capital of the World?

Sports entertains and captivates nearly all Americans. Wouldn't it make sense to bring more sports franchises to a city like Las Vegas? The Golden Knights were the first franchise in Vegas from the four major sports leagues in North America (NFL, NHL, NBA, & MLB). The second team to call Vegas home has already been announced. The Oakland Raiders of the NFL will move to Las Vegas. NFL owners approved the move by the 2019 season. The Raiders had a stint in Los Angeles before returning to Oakland in 1995. Raider Nation will have a new city and the NFL is the perfect league for Las Vegas. The NFL is the only business that owns a day of the week in terms of tv ratings and ticket sales. A new market in Vegas is exactly what the NFL needs. Vegas might not be the perfect fit for the Raiders, but the city certainly deserves an NFL franchise.

The NBA and MLB are the two leagues that don't have major plans in the near future for Las Vegas. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said Vegas could be an option for relocation. So, if a team has poor attendance records, the Miami Marlins, or has trouble with financing a stadium, the Tampa Bay Rays, maybe these franchises would consider Vegas for relocation. Perhaps one day, America's pastime will find its way to Las Vegas.

There are of course concerns when a league enters a new city. No one knows if baseball or basketball would be successful in Vegas. There's always stadium concerns like financing, seating, and attendance. Keeping stable franchises is of the utmost importance to any sports league and owners. That was the concern with the Golden Knights. The NHL's 31^st team shattered expectations both on and off the ice. Hockey is here to stay in Vegas, and while I personally was against expansion in the NHL, I'm all for it now moving forward. Let's get more pro sports in Las Vegas. The Entertainment Capital of the World is long overdue for pro sports teams.