[irishspy]

LV needs a pro sport team which can have a stadium near the strip. They need a sport such as Basketball or Hockey which both are played inside and a full house attendance would be around 18,000. This could be supported between locals and tourist. Both sports play in the nicer months not July and Aug. Tv rights do play an important part but keep in mind they would be in the same division as the LA teams and the other SW teams. Football is a far shot because you need a stadium that holds at least 80,000. No matter what a pro team means $$$ for that city just look at NASCAR week over $100 million comes in. The National Rodeo week is about $80 million. The tourist would sure go for it and the tickets would be great comps for the casinos. Something to dream about.

[ScoopLV]

Keep dreaming, people. No league will have us. We're the shady lady of metropolitan areas, and professional sports won't touch us with a 10-foot pole.

May as well wish for ocean views.

[LVNVTrucker]

Originally Posted by jojoindy

Baseball in 100 weather not so much. Unless you have a retractable dome.

And one heck of a big air conditioning system, if not, your only building Nevadas biggest greenhouse.

A few years back I thought the Maloof Brothers would bring the Sacramento Kings here, but they had too much money committed into the Sacramento area as they also own the arena they play in.

Then there was about 3 minutes of talk of the old Seattle Supersonics moving here, but ended up becoming the Oklahoma City Thunder (where the owner lives)

Then there was serious talk of the Montreal Expos moving here, that deal fell through and the team became the Washington (DC) Nationals.

And then our own city keeps coming up with grand ideas of splendor with a huge downtown arena and stadium favored by the city and Oscar Goodman and/or an arena behind Bally's & Paris. And not to be outdone, UNLV has ideas of building a new stadium on campus (that according to drawings it is supposed to look like a big salad bowl)(Funding plan for new UNLV stadium still relies on tax infusion - Las Vegas Sun).

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Gatsby1925

What about Major League Soccer? The league has shown high attendance in places like Los Angeles, Seattle, Philadelphia, Portland, New York and Kansas City. I think a club here would be very successful.

As has often been said, soccer is the sport of the future, and it always will be.

[aitchem]

Originally Posted by observer53

As has often been said, soccer is the sport of the future, and it always will be.

In the rest of the world it is of the present. In the USA it is of the future.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by aitchem

In the rest of the world it is of the present. In the USA it is of the future.

And always will be in Las Vegas and other cities in the US. Of course, I understand that it is a very different thing in other countries!

[Willy702]

The NBA and NHL are sucking in a lot of markets. NHL probably makes most sense only because TV contract matters little to the team's well being. Problem on that front is Canada seems to want to take back every team in sight so its up in the air. Phoenix Coyotes might be a good option if there was more immediate motion on a sensible arena, but seems like Quebec's about to be under construction palace might get them first. If they did move to Vegas they could keep the TV ties to the large Arizona market and an organization which understand well the challenges to marketing a team in a non-traditional market.

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by Gatsby1925

Baseball is my favorite sport, but Cashman Field is an awful, awful ballpark.


I don't know about now, but when the "new" Cashman Stadium was built in the 80s it was considered the best Triple-A park in the country.

Rather, the question is if the local Vegas culture can sustain a pro team?
Thoughts?

For the ten thousandth time ─ NO!

[dynimagelv]

10001

[MomMom]

Originally Posted by Gatsby1925

I have lived in Las Vegas my whole life, and admittingly the one thing that I always do when I visit other cities that I can't do here is watch a major league game. Isn't Las Vegas one of the, if not the largest city without a pro sports team? Minor league teams just don't do it for me, with the exception of the Wranglers. Baseball is my favorite sport, but Cashman Field is an awful, awful ballpark.

This question isn't so much asking if we have the economic health to bring in a pro franchise; I know that right now it is not healthy enough. Rather, the question is if the local Vegas culture can sustain a pro team, and if so for which sport? I admit that I would love to see an MLB or MLS team here, but I admit to being biased as baseball and soccer are my two favorite sports to watch.

Thoughts?

If we have to be taxed as a city or county to build such a thing as a professional sports stadium and maintain it, then the answer is a big resounding NO.............. IMO.