NHL reportedly ‘all in’ with Las Vegas, a look at the pros and cons
By Mike Majeski
The NHL hasn’t had an expansion team since the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Minnesota Wild joined the league for the 2000 season, and since the 2004-05 lockout, only one team has moved (the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg). With the exception of the Phoenix Coyotes ownership saga and the aforementioned move of the Thrashers, the NHL is in a state of financial stability, especially when compared to the 1990’s which saw several teams move and television deals come and go.
Gary Bettman has avoided discussing the NHL’s expansion plans (neither confirming or denying that such plans even exist), but rumors of meetings with potential owners have leaked out over the past year and the consensus is the NHL will add one or two teams in the next five years.
Quebec City, Seattle, Kansas City, and Las Vegas have all been included in the rumors, and according to a report from the Vancouver Province, the NHL has a deal in place to award an expansion team to Las Vegas.
If true, it would be a bold, but risky move by the NHL. They would be moving into uncharted territory by becoming the first major sports league to establish a team in Sin City.
Being first isn’t the only attractive aspect to Vegas for the NHL, as it would establish a fellow desert rival for the Arizona Coyotes, as well as the three California based teams.
Vegas is a player friendly, income tax-free city, which could give it a competitive advantage when it comes to free agency. Then again, the temptation to misbehave may be too much for some players and Sin City could be the franchise’s undoing.
The biggest question that remains is who will be going to the games. Vegas is predominately made up of tourists and the people who work in the casinos, so season ticket holders may be hard to come by. However, that could be one area the casinos can provide some assistance:
When Vegas and pro sports are mentioned in the same sentence, gambling is the first thing that comes to mind. The fears of hockey games being fixed in Vegas are unwarranted, as it is just as easy for a game to be fixed in another city as it would be on location in Sin City. However, gambling would affect the dynamics of the home crowd.
If casinos are comping tickets to gamblers, it is likely they will be cheering for whichever team or situation makes them money. Combined with the tourists in attendance, perhaps to see their home team take on Las Vegas, a Vegas based team faces a potentially unfriendly / disinterested home crowd. Home ice advantage would not be a factor in Vegas. There are rumors that MLS is looking to establish a soccer team in Las Vegas as well, so perhaps this deal that is in place is the NHL trying to beat soccer to the punch when it comes to getting the first team in Las Vegas.
However, one has to question why the NHL would gamble on Vegas when Seattle (arena issues aside) and Quebec City appear to be a sure winner. With the Arizona / Phoenix Coyotes saga fresh in everyone’s mind, fans will be a little uncomfortable to see the NHL make a second attempt at a franchise in the desert, especially with a city as unproven as Las Vegas.