Should Las Vegas get an NHL team?

Question

Why or why not?
And if not, should any other city get an NHL team?

To ally: I agree somewhat. I don't contraction is needed, but expansion can be risky.

And some teams, such as the Blues, give a lot of discounts on tickets.

Answer 1

NO! There are too many expansion teams in the NHL as it is. The talent pool is shrinking and the ticket prices are insanely high. Some expansion teams rarely fill the arena to capacity. The best thing would be to eliminate a couple expansion teams and focus on the game itself.

Answer 2

I have had this discussion many times with other hockey fans, and after not liking the idea, I now support it.
One, if hockey is going to survive it needs to transition to a regional sport (i.e. Instead of having 15 teams in huge markets, you have 30 teams in mid size/smaller markets). The TV ratings the past several seasons have proved that, as a nation, the U.S. really isn't all that into hockey. So by exposing as many different fan bases as they can to the game, the NHL can cultivate fans and viewers in small pockets rather then large chunks.
Two, the NHL should jump on this and get there before another sport does. While baseball would never, ever touch it and football is another stretch, I think eventually the NBA will realize Vegas fits in with their high rolling, thuggish culture (that is a slam on the NBA, not on Vegas) and place/move a franchise there.
Having said all that, it is going to happen anyway. I agree with some of the others that have said Bettman has already received a 'down payment' if you will from interested parties. This was indirectly confirmed by Jimmy Devellano of the Red Wings in an interview a few months back with the Detroit Free Press. Not to mention the fact that Harrah's has already annouced plans to build a 22,000-seat arena on land behind Paris and Bally's. The NHL is being given a new, free arena in the absolute heart of the biggest entertainment destination in the world... how they could consider that a bigger risk then placing franchises in places where ice can't naturally exist is beyond me. Besides, Bettman will do it for no other reason then to pocket the expansion money.
While I can support expansion as part of an overall move to a more regional sport, I would much rather see a team in a place where it has been proven it doesn’t belong (Florida, Atlanta, Phoenix, Nashville, Columbus, Anaheim, etc.) move to a place that, while unconventional, has yet to be proven to be unworkable.

Answer 3

It has nothing to do with the gambling, people. Las Vegas isn't the only city where gambling is legal. The casinos don't derive that much from hockey betting, and wouldn't mind giving it up, or do what has been done in the past; no betting on the Las Vegas games( which was a state law untill a few years ago regarding UNLV and UNR).

To answer the question, as a 13 year resident of Las Vegas, bringing a team here may sound logical, but makes no sense. The population base is too transient, people coming and going every month. And with the majority of new residents being Hispanic ( if anybody disputes this, just go to the Clark County School District website; hispanic students make up nearly 40% of the ccsd student population, the largest single group), I don't think hockey is their first priority.

LITY- the other reason the Thunder folded was they had the worst lease agreement with the Thomas & Mack Center. The Thunder received nothing from the concession sales, parking fees, and very little % from merchandising. When they asked the T&M to re-negotiate the lease so to generate more income to keep the team going, the T&M basically told them to stick it where the sun don't shine. I was a season ticket holder too.

Juan B- I am a season ticket holder of the LV Wranglers in the ECHL. They play at the Orleans Arena. The ice is just fine!

Answer 4

They will, the NHL has already promised Jerry Bruckheimer and his group first shot at it, and Bruckheimer's group has already paid the NHL a fee (which Bettman won't admit to but a couple of owners will).

They'll get the team because Bruckheimer already has guarantees from several groups in Las Vegas and Nevada with regards to roughly $15-$17MM in corporate sponsorship (which would put them in the top 3rd of the league).

The Las Vegas Thunder led the IHL in attendance every year but one, and ended up folding because they didn't to raise ticket prices to meet payroll demands.

In the early 90s, the Oakland A's and Toronto Blue Jays played a successful 3 game series in Las Vegas, so the locals are known to support big league sports.

As for the connection to gambling? Jaromir Jagr and Rick Tocchet were able to get into gambling trouble without stepping foot in Vegas. There are so many avenues to gamble now (players have flocked from Jersey and Philadelphia in the past to visit Atlantic City) that makes it easy - Las Vegas will have little impact.

Vegas has the population, it has the TV money, it has the radio money, and it has the corporate money. All it needs is a team to spend it on. As more and more states open their borders to casinos (be it of the charity variety or what not) sports leagues are going to have to take a long hard look at their conduct rules.

Answer 5

Vegas will not get an NHL team. With the recent downward spiral of professional sports corruption in players, coaches and referees turned dirty, a sport WILL NOT associate itself closer to gambling. That means no to Vegas.

Plus, it is the last thing we need, another desert arena with bad ice. Lousy playing conditions really kill the sport.

Cities that should get a team - I can give you a short list of 3 Canadian cities that could sell out every game, and have every game broadcast on TV. The US teams are doing good if they have a half full arena, and half their games are on TV. Actually, I think there are US teams with more games shown on Canadian TV than at home... (I am watching 3 Penguins games this week when half of the other teams are closer to me than that team)

Answer 6

No. There are way to many expansion teams. Talent is spreading. They should take away a team like the Coyotes. And if any city were to get another team, it would be Winnipeg.

Answer 7

The nhl is trying to publitize hockey more to the americans. so why not get an Las vegas team..tickets would be pricey but it would get americans more into hockey. Winnipeg Jets should reform!

Answer 8

Why would they put a team where there's already a semi-pro team? They'd have to kill the little guys. I also agree with whoever said that pro sports will not put themselves in the middle of all that gambling because of the image.

Answer 9

No! The last thing the NHL needs right now are more teams.The talent is already being spread pretty thin.

Answer 10

Absolutely. Makes sense and they should for once be ahead of the curve and do it before the NBA or another sport does it. It would work.