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It's time LV gets a pro sports franchise. The gambling argument is weak in that you can place a sports bet from pretty much anywhere in the US from your phone. There are also casinos in (at least) 43 states... So if a game were to be fixed, it can be (and has been) done from anywhere, including outside of Nevada.
There may be casinos in that many states, but sports betting is legal in only four states (DE, MT, NV, OR), thanks to PASPA. When Delaware was rebooting their sports betting a few years ago, they had to deal with a big court battle (as leagues like the NFL don't want legal betting to spread, because that would be competition to the fantasy games that they promote), and ultimately, they were (and continue to be) limited to offering only parlay bets similar to what they had in the 70's.
Why doesn't Omaha get any love? The CSA has almost 1 million people and it has a surprising strong economy to support a pro franchise.
A strong economy won't support a franchise. TV ratings and viewership plus local ticket sales will. And for those, you typically need more than just a million in a metro area. There are a few exceptions, Green Bay being the most notable, but typically small-market teams also draw from nearby smaller markets with no teams of their own in that league (for example, Green Bay draws a lot of fans from the Milwaukee area).
Back in February, a potential ownership group for an NHL team got together and decided to conduct a season ticket drive to try and gauge the city's interest in landing an NHL franchise.
Oh yeah, I read about this. It's being spearheaded by one of Jacksonville's few billionaires.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dude1984
Why doesn't Omaha get any love? The CSA has almost 1 million people and it has a surprising strong economy to support a pro franchise.
The greater tv market is small because outside the city and Lincoln NE it's really sparsely populated. A city further east (like Lexington KY or Columbia SC) that's nearly half the size of Omaha still has a larger tv market because the rural areas still have population density around 25 per sq mile or greater
It's time LV gets a pro sports franchise. The gambling argument is weak in that you can place a sports bet from pretty much anywhere in the US from your phone. There are also casinos in (at least) 43 states... So if a game were to be fixed, it can be (and has been) done from anywhere, including outside of Nevada.
There are over two million people in the metro area which surpasses many markets that currently have a pro sports franchise. Vegas' population has also had a good history of increasing at a higher rate than the national average.
The city is building a $375 million arena on the Strip that is 100% privately financed. It has less than one year of construction remaining.
Back in February, a potential ownership group for an NHL team got together and decided to conduct a season ticket drive to try and gauge the city's interest in landing an NHL franchise.
Businesses were not allowed to participate and only locals could put deposits down. In addition to that, no "partial season" packs were offered... Only full season deposits.
With an arena expected to seat 17,500 for hockey, over 11,000 individuals put money down to reserve seats for a team that might not even be granted to us. That alone already surpasses what the Florida Panthers bring in on the average night. This is before factoring in half-season plans, 10-pack plans and single-game tickets from locals and visitors alike... Which are going to be successful in a city where many people work odd hours to keep a 24-hour town running.
Word around town is that there will be a vote in September from the owners to decide whether or not Las Vegas is granted a team... And there is no reason not to.
- It would be the focal point of pro sports in the area... No other pro team here.
- Brand new arena with no public financing needed.
- Fans showed up for deposits.
- Arena location provides walkable access for visitors.
Simply put... This city knows how to market things. It wouldn't exist if that wasn't so.
When Las Vegas puts on an event, we don't just watch.. the world watches.
Excellent points. Honestly, you make me rethink some of my post a few pages back (I said I don't know if Vegas would be a good spot for a professional franchise). I agree with the others that it's got to be NBA or NHL, but definitely not NFL or MLB.
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