Posted on 06/22/2016 3:16:23 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
Las Vegas will get its first major professional sports league team in 2017 with an NHL expansion franchise, Commissioner Gary Bettman announced Wednesday.
With the addition of the Las Vegas franchise, the National Hockey League will have 31 teams.
Principal owner Bill Foley, a Las Vegas businessman, and his partners will pay a $500 million expansion fee for the franchise.
"The first thing we're going to do is to establish what the culture is going to be for this team," Foley said. "This team is going to be a team built to win. We're going to take care of our hockey players in every way possible."
The team doesn't have a name yet. Foley, a graduate of West Point, said he loves the nickname of his alma mater, the Army Black Knights. But the team will work with the league to consider several ideas for names, he said.
Foley said he hopes to have a name by the time the NHL season starts in the fall so the franchise can begin to sell jerseys and other merchandise.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
How much support will these teams actually get.
Vegas is one of those places where people come from somewhere else, and usually keep loyalties to their old teams, a lot like how it is in Florida.
I’m really not sure about this one. I think sports are better served by keeping gambling meccas further than arms reach, and there’s so many entertainment options in Vegas with such a low non-transient population. And with the number of franchises the NHL already has underwater I’m not sure more is really the right answer.
“Foley said he hopes to have a name by the time the NHL season starts in the fall so the franchise can begin to sell jerseys and other merchandise.”
How about the “Las Vegas Drag Queens” or maybe the “Pink Puckers”.
Lol. The arena will be a coolish 65° inside and outside will be 116°. Makes SO much sense.
Sure hockey fans in Quebec City and Hartford are absolutely thrilled to hear about this, lol. TBH, I would not mind seeing the NHL contract as opposed to expanding.
Ice hockey in the middle of the desert.
There was a professional hockey team in Las Vegas, albeit minor-league, up until 2014
Yes! Go Scorpions! We’ll beat the Phoenix Coyotes in the Cactus Cup.
The population is moving south. So yes hockey in the desert. Because AC exists and snow sucks.
Indeed, if any place “deserves” a team, it is Quebec City. Their fans are rabid, and they’ve even built a stadium, simply hoping the NHL would come. Besides Quebec City, I believe Seattle would also be a larger and more stable market than Las Vegas. I can’t imagine what research Bettman is looking at.
Another team in Canada (Quebec) would help preserve the traditions and long-term fan-base of Hockey. Hockey overall has also a growing international culture, that is common among dozens of countries. Players from US, Canada, Europe/ Scandanavia, Russia, etc.. move among leagues or mix in international competitions. This is only rivaled by soccer. I just don’t think Bettman understands or appreciates this.
Las Vegas can be summed up by its motto “what happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas.” It is of ZERO long term benefit to hockey or the NHL, IMHO
Well, it’s someplace to go to get out of the heat.
Vegas has a new luxurious arena. It’s still one of the fastest growing cities in the world, even after going over 2 million residents, just in Vegas itself, not including the other boomtowns Summerlin and Henderson nearby. It will attract tourists who want to see their team when they play in vegas.
No brainer.
The nhl knows what it is doing.
Bill Foley, a Las Vegas businessman, and his partners will pay a $500 million expansion fee for the franchise.
The taxpayers will be on the hook for the BILLION dollar stadium while Bill & friends get the profits.
I agree with you, Las Vegas isn’t probably the top candidate for an expansion team. Heck, I wont even put it in the top five. That said, it should work in Las Vegas. They have a growing population and throe economy is sound. It should be a great one sport town. Look at Utah Jazz or San Antonio Spurs.
The casinos (especially those owned by MGM) will comp many of these tourists with hockey tickets. Vegas will fill those seats.
The arena is already built, operational, and making money. Garth Brooks sold out four shows there already, just like he did at Staples Arena in LA back at the height of his career.
NFL Raiders are leaning towards Vegas in a few years.
The Vegas PTBs are also angling to steal an NBA team from another town.
I can’t wait for the NHL to add more teams to the point that a week after the Stanley Cup, training camp opens for the following season.
Las Vegas WeGotYourMoney’s?
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