4_tattoos Posted August 13, 2016 Share Posted August 13, 2016 Realistically how many major sports franchises do you think Las Vegas can handle? I think Vegas might get 2 more teams in addition to the NHL club. The Raiders via relocation in the near future, and possibly an MLS team further down the line. I think Foley would block an NBA franchise from coming to Vegas unless he was the owner. Doesn't come off as the type that would like sharing an arena. Hotter Than July > Thriller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBTV Posted August 13, 2016 Share Posted August 13, 2016 9 hours ago, 4_tattoos said: Realistically how many major sports franchises do you think Las Vegas can handle? I think Vegas might get 2 more teams in addition to the NHL club. The Raiders via relocation in the near future, and possibly an MLS team further down the line. I think Foley would block an NBA franchise from coming to Vegas unless he was the owner. Doesn't come off as the type that would like sharing an arena. Of all of the major pro sports, I think easily an NBA team would have the most chance of success in LV. Like... easily. It's been proven that you don't need to be a big market for a basketball team to succeed - just be the only game in town. Hockey is so much harder to pull off, since regardless of what Gary Bettman believes, it is a niche sport. It's infinitely harder to pull off in a smaller market (and whatever the numbers are for LV, it is effectively way smaller just due to transientness and other demographic factors.) An NFL team can succeed almost anywhere, provided the ownership supports it and they don't crap on their fans. The casino industry and other LV businesses would certainly partner up with an NFL team - if the league would only allow it (and IMO it's stupid that they don't, since they acknowledge that so much of the sport's popularity is based on how easy it is to gamble on it either straight up or via fantasy.) I think in order of ease-of-success, it's: 1. NBA Basketball (by FAR) OKC has proven that all you need is a good product and the rest doesn't matter. Hell, it was working even before they was good. 2. NFL Football (distant second only because it requires much more to get started and support initially) 3. Soccer? Just guessing here. Soccer fans are probably the most loyal to their sport so I'd imagine even if the fan base was relatively small, they'd be well supported - and it's still primarily gate-driven, right? So that matters. 4. NHL (I'd rank this lower but relatively speaking it doesn't require that big of a fan base and that big of an arena to succeed, though in some cases it's hard to build any type of base) 5. MLB (if it's not a baseball crazy town, then it would be hard to succeed considering the enormous cost of building a park, luring a team, and trying to draw fans to see horribble baseball either in the desert heat or a soulless dome. "The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was accessed." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Admiral Posted August 13, 2016 Share Posted August 13, 2016 Looks right on the money to me. Baseball is definitely the hardest because of the ticket/programming/stadium commitments. Another thing to remember about the NBA is the organizations are the smallest, by far. You don't have farm systems to oversee (this is huge: you're not just expanding to Tampa Bay, you're expanding to where the AAA team will go, where the AA team will go, all the way down), you don't have armadas of coaches and scouts like football teams do (and hockey to a lesser extent), and the rosters themselves are smallest of all. It's a pretty lean operation. There's not a lot of resources required in the NBA. ♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4_tattoos Posted August 13, 2016 Author Share Posted August 13, 2016 So with the NHL already on board, which league would likely be next to come to Vegas? The Raiders have openly expressed an interest in relocating to Vegas. I'm not aware of any potential relocations (or even expansion) with the NBA. Several cities appear to be in contention for MLS expansion ahead of Vegas. And I honestly don't see MLB going to there at all. Hotter Than July > Thriller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worcat Posted August 13, 2016 Share Posted August 13, 2016 I could see the Raiders moving to Las Vegas. It'd be huge for them and the city. NFL games in Vegas would draw a huge crowd and it makes complete sense. There's also the Chargers but I haven't heard any rumors of them moving to Vegas but I guess it all depends on who gets a stadium first? Bleeding Blue since 1986 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jp1409 Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 The NFL with only eight home games would be a major hit. Considering the amenities, the other activities available and the amount of cheap flights going into Vegas it would be a heck of an occasion for road fans and sports fans in general looking for a four-five days trip. As a football fan, I would surely consider going at least once every season or two (which is pretty good living 3000 miles away) and I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Admiral Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 Anyone who wants the Raiders to move to Las Vegas so they can go to a game should be shivved upon arrival. ♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4_tattoos Posted August 14, 2016 Author Share Posted August 14, 2016 Had time to rethink MLS coming to Vegas. The only scenario in which I could see LV leap frogging the cities on the expansion hotlist would be via relocation. The only relocation I could possibly see happening would be if the incoming LAFC franchise flat out fails at securing their own stadium in LA. Hotter Than July > Thriller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timaa Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 14 minutes ago, the admiral said: Anyone who wants the Raiders to move to Las Vegas so they can go to a game should be shivved upon arrival. Like getting lei'd when arriving in Hawaii, just not as festive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jp1409 Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 17 minutes ago, the admiral said: Anyone who wants the Raiders to move to Las Vegas so they can go to a game should be shivved upon arrival. It doesn't have to be the Raiders but Vegas makes way more sense for a relocation/expansion than any European city (or even Jacksonville)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4_tattoos Posted August 14, 2016 Author Share Posted August 14, 2016 How did this become a thread in the General-Sports section? I made my OP as an off topic question in the Las Vegas Expansion thread in the Sports Logos section. Not pissed or anything, just curious and confused lol Hotter Than July > Thriller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBTV Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 2 hours ago, 4_tattoos said: How did this become a thread in the General-Sports section? I made my OP as an off topic question in the Las Vegas Expansion thread in the Sports Logos section. Not pissed or anything, just curious and confused lol You answered your own question. It's better this way. "The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was accessed." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2001mark Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 2 LV NHL will never be hotter than right now, just because. I just don't see them being locally beloved when it matters. @2001mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gothamite Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 18 hours ago, 4_tattoos said: Had time to rethink MLS coming to Vegas. The only scenario in which I could see LV leap frogging the cities on the expansion hotlist would be via relocation. The only relocation I could possibly see happening would be if the incoming LAFC franchise flat out fails at securing their own stadium in LA. No chance. Their stadium is only waiting on the environmental report to get done, and that's not expected to cause a problem. Even if it did, LAFC would look elsewhere in LA for a site, since all those Hollywood people didn't put money up to own a team anywhere else. And I could easily see Vegas leapfrog St. Louis, say, if Vegas can put together a stadium and ownership group before StL can. The Green Bay Packers Uniform Database! Now in a handy blog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infrared41 Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 19 hours ago, the admiral said: Anyone who wants the Raiders to move to Las Vegas so they can go to a game should be shivved upon arrival. And then put on a flight to Cleveland and forced to go to a Jaguars - Browns game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmening Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 14 minutes ago, infrared41 said: And then put on a flight to Cleveland and forced to go to a Jaguars - Browns game. Geez, why don't you just waterboard them instead? It would much more humane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cujo Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 16 minutes ago, infrared41 said: And then put on a flight to Cleveland and be forced to go to a Jaguars - Browns game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
generalshepherd141 Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 NFL and NBA would be successful in Vegas. NHL and MLB...not so much. The Vegas NHL "new team" luster will wear off quickly, and then guess which team will be appearing on most of the 'most likely to relocate' lists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infrared41 Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 2 hours ago, Cujo said: Oh c'mon. Using Cleveland as a punishment is hardly "Clevejacking" a thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroywen Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 Vegas can probably support an NBA and NFL team, in tandem. I actually think the NFL is better suited to Vegas than in the NBA. For one, there's no local TV contracts. Most of Vegas' inherent problem is the relatively small, highly transient, economically struggling population. That's less of an issue in the NFL: the team doesn't need to score a local TV contract, and therefore is less reliant on attracting eyeballs locally, and attracting local TV advertising dollars. A Vegas NFL team would also better be able to build a fanbase nationally, which takes on increased importance when your local population is unstable. On top of that, it's a hell of a lot easier to fill up a 65,000 seat stadium 8 times a year than it is to fill up a 16,000-18,000 seat arena 42 times a year. And given that most opponents would only travel to Vegas once every couple of years, the "opposing fans will want to visit" Vegas argument may actually hold some water in the NFL on an ongoing basis. In-division fans may even decide to make an annual trip to Vegas when their team is there. You're not going to see that consistent traveling in any other sport (and may not in the NFL, FWIW). . Frankly, I'd be surprised if Vegas is able to support an NHL team or an MLB team, even in isolation. Large, fairly prosperous Sun Belt cities can barely even support the NHL. If the NHL can barely make it work in Atlanta, Phoenix, Miami, Carolina, Nashville, etc., how on Earth will it ever succeed in Vegas? I don't care that there aren't any other major league teams in town. Number one, in Vegas, sports will never be the only game in town (literally); what's more, it'll never be the biggest game in town. Number two, the second one league decides to break the unspoken barrier between Vegas and professional sports, the other leagues will be more than willing to follow, if they think it would be profitable. The NFL and NBA know they'd easily trump the NHL in Vegas. So even if the NHL is the first one in town, how long would that last for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.