# Vegas' first pro sports team coming soon: HOCKEY



## VegasBella (Aug 24, 2017)

The team is called Las Vegas Golden Knights.
They play their first game very soon: Sept 17.
The practice facility opens this weekend. Not sure if it's open to the public or not yet but they have said it will be eventually.

Official website: https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights

So next time you come to Vegas for vacation, get some hockey tickets!


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## mjm1 (Aug 25, 2017)

The practice facility at Downtown Summerlin looks very nice from the outside. That will be a nice addition for the public to go ice skating when it's available.

T- Mobile Arena, where the team will play it's games, looks like a great facility to watch a game. I've been to one concert and went to the open house before it first opened and enjoyed the feel of it. 

While season ticket sales have gone well, I suspect they are counting on a lot of visitors going to some games too. It's in a great location between New York New York and Highway 15.

Go Golden Knights!

Best regards.

Mike


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## bizaro86 (Aug 25, 2017)

I suspect they will get those visiting fans. I have a number of friends who are making a  weekend trip for a Calgary Flames game later this season. My understanding is that so far they have ~80 people who have put down money to go with the group, and thathe will be far from the only group going...


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## zinger1457 (Aug 26, 2017)

In the long term it will probably be as popular as hockey in Phoenix where they play to an empty arena most nights.


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## Passepartout (Aug 26, 2017)

We have pro hockey in Boise. It's well attended, and the venue is used for other activities. Congrats Las Vegas. Ya gotta start the non-gaming sports somewhere, and hockey simply doesn't have the gigantic cost to acquire a franchise as the other (NFL/NBA/MLB) sports. You used to have NCAA activity with the Runnin' Rebels of UNLV, but that sort of fizzled. 

I wish you luck!

Jim


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## x3 skier (Aug 26, 2017)

Hope the Ice Maker is heavy duty or they will be playing underwater hockey

Cheers


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## donnaval (Aug 29, 2017)

The Golden Knights will have a true class act at goaltender.  They got Marc-Andre Fleury from my Penguins - a great goalie, and a really fantastic person.  I'll be cheering for them, whenever they're not playing against the Pens.


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## LannyPC (Aug 29, 2017)

VegasBella said:


> The team is called Las Vegas Golden Knights.



Actually, they're just called the Vegas Golden Knights.  No "Las" in the name.


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## LannyPC (Aug 29, 2017)

Passepartout said:


> Congrats Las Vegas. Ya gotta start the non-gaming sports somewhere, and hockey simply doesn't have the gigantic cost to acquire a franchise as the other (*NFL*/NBA/MLB) sports.



Aren't the NFL's Raiders supposed to be relocating there soon?  But I guess that's a relocation as opposed to the Vegas Golden Knights being an expansion team and paying the expansion fee.


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## jwalk03 (Aug 30, 2017)

LannyPC said:


> Aren't the NFL's Raiders supposed to be relocating there soon?  But I guess that's a relocation as opposed to the Vegas Golden Knights being an expansion team and paying the expansion fee.



Yes the Raiders are moving to Vegas as well.  2019 or 2020 at the earliest since they have to get their new stadium built first.  They will keep playing in Oakland until then.


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## VegasBella (Aug 30, 2017)

The difference with the Raiders vs the Golden Knights is that the Knights were entirely privately funded, no huge drain on taxpayers for it.

We now also have a soccer team coming. Their name rhymes with Vegas Golden Knights, they're the Las Vegas Lights.


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## VegasBella (Oct 15, 2017)

The Vegas Gold Knights has a mascot now. He is a gila monster named Chance. 






https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/news/get-to-know-chance-the-golden-knights-new-mascot/c-291908590


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## VegasBella (Nov 19, 2017)

FYI, Vegas is also getting other pro teams...

Women's Basketball : https://www.reviewjournal.com/sport...-inherits-young-but-talented-stars-wnba-team/

Soccer: http://www.lasvegaslightsfc.com/

Football: http://lasvegasstadium.raiders.com/


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## LannyPC (Nov 21, 2017)

VegasBella said:


> We now also have a soccer team coming. Their name rhymes with Vegas Golden Knights, they're the Las Vegas Lights.



Are they joining Major League Soccer (MLS) or another league?


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## AwayWeGo (Nov 21, 2017)

New name = Las Vegas Blackjacks. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## VegasBella (Nov 21, 2017)

LannyPC said:


> Are they joining Major League Soccer (MLS) or another league?


It is minor league soccer, affiliated with MLS. They say on their website:

_"The United Soccer League ('USL') is one of the most prominent Division II professional soccer leagues in the world, with over 30 markets across the United States and Canada.
It is the only lower-division soccer league directly affiliated with Major League Soccer.
The League's foundation and long-term stability is rooted in its strong local ownership which features owners of NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and European soccer team owners.
The USL Season runs from March to October. Las Vegas aims to begin play as the League's 33rd market beginning with the 2018 Season."_

_"USL is the only league affiliated with Major League Soccer -- and numerous of its recent expansion clubs have been 'elevated' from competing in USL. The USL Las Vegas Club is fully supportive of the City's continual efforts to seek a MLS Club in the future and believes that the success of USL Las Vegas will be key to making this long-term aspiration become true. Below is a list of current MLS Clubs that were previously a lower-division level club: Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders, Vancouver Whitecaps, Montreal Impact, Orlando City and Minnesota United."_

You can visit their website to learn more: http://www.lasvegaslightsfc.com/


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## bizaro86 (Nov 23, 2017)

The hockey team has had an unreal start for an expansion franchise. The season is a quarter over and they are solidly in a playoff spot right now. In fact, they are right on the bubble for having home ice advantage in the first round.

It seems likely they'll drop off after a hot start, but still, very impressive achievement.


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## bizaro86 (Dec 26, 2017)

This is now the hockey story of the year. Vegas Golden Knights are in first place in the Western Conference, and 2nd place in a 31 team league, in their first year as an expansion franchise. 

The expansion draft rules were slightly more favorable than the NHL has used in the past (give VGK ownership something for the $500 MM fee) but nobody expected VGK to make the playoffs, much less be leading the conference at Christmas.


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## VegasBella (May 1, 2018)

The Vegas Golden Knights are AMAZING!


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## John Cummings (May 12, 2018)

The Vegas Golden Knights are the most successful first year expansion team of any sport. Not only are they playing for the Western Conference championship starting today but they also have 103.8% attendance.

Go Knights, beat the Jets and on to the Stanley Cup.


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## bbodb1 (May 12, 2018)

One thing is for sure - the next NHL expansion team will NOT get the same deal Vegas did.  
It's a great story for sure, and the Vegas organization did a lot of things right through this season but they had a considerable advantage over the last two expansion teams (Columbus and Minnesota) in that existing teams were allowed to protect fewer players.  Some will say that Vegas paid $500 million for that right as compared to $80 million for Columbus and Minnesota but Vegas is having immediate success and that is worth a lot more money in the long term.  The NHL is in a very difficult period now.


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## bizaro86 (May 12, 2018)

bbodb1 said:


> One thing is for sure - the next NHL expansion team will NOT get the same deal Vegas did.
> It's a great story for sure, and the Vegas organization did a lot of things right through this season but they had a considerable advantage over the last two expansion teams (Columbus and Minnesota) in that existing teams were allowed to protect fewer players.  Some will say that Vegas paid $500 million for that right as compared to $80 million for Columbus and Minnesota but Vegas is having immediate success and that is worth a lot more money in the long term.  The NHL is in a very difficult period now.



My understanding is that the negotiations for the next expansion team are already underway. The tentative deal is $600 MM for a team to Seattle, with the same expansion deal Vegas got. Worth noting that Vegas will not share in the expansion fee from Seattle. 

Also, I think it's likely that Seattle won't get as good a set of deals from other teams to pick who they want them to pick. The deal/pick with Florida was an exceptional boon for Vegas, and I can't see anyone doing something similar again.


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## bbodb1 (May 13, 2018)

I was referring to the number of protected players with the above quote.  I'm sure the price won't go down (does it ever?) but some existing NHL teams who haven't sniffed post season success in many years are feeling some serious pressure in the face of Vegas' success.  This will be a more than usual interesting off season for the NHL.


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## bbodb1 (May 15, 2018)

And a solid win by Vegas last night in Winnipeg evens the series at 1 game each.  This is a fun team to watch and even if you're not a hockey fan, the Stanley Cup is a unique beast to conquer.  Check it out - especially if you have a high def TV.


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## x3 skier (May 15, 2018)

One of the Stanley Cup’s greatest traditions is the Playoff Beard.  Quite a good group this year.  

BTW, Doc Emrick is fantastic at the mike. 

Cheers


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## bizaro86 (May 15, 2018)

bbodb1 said:


> I was referring to the number of protected players with the above quote.  I'm sure the price won't go down (does it ever?) but some existing NHL teams who haven't sniffed post season success in many years are feeling some serious pressure in the face of Vegas' success.  This will be a more than usual interesting off season for the NHL.



I understood, and I'm hearing that the expansion draft will work the same way - number of protected at positions, etc.

Tough to charge Seattle an extra $100MM for a lesser initial deal than what Vegas got. The GMs will be unhappy, but the owners will cash $20 MM cheques each, so they'll do it.

And while it was a better deal than past expansions, I think the management and players in Vegas deserve a lot of credit. They did a great job, no matter what happens from here on out.


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## bbodb1 (May 15, 2018)

x3 skier said:


> One of the Stanley Cup’s greatest traditions is the Playoff Beard.  Quite a good group this year.
> 
> BTW, Doc Emrick is fantastic at the mike.
> 
> Cheers



Indeed, yes.  There is not a better announcer in any sport today.


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## dioxide45 (May 15, 2018)

bbodb1 said:


> Check it out - especially if you have a high def TV.


Who doesn't have a high-def television these days?


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## mjm1 (May 16, 2018)

Las Vegas has really embraced their team. Of course, it’s a lot easier to do that when they are playing at a historic level for an expansion team. Tickets for each game of the playoffs are the hottest tickets in town. Go Knights!

Mike


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## bizaro86 (May 20, 2018)

The Vegas Golden Knights have made the Stanley Cup Finals in their first year as an expansion team. 

imo this is now the sports story of the year, an incredible achievement.


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## VegasBella (Jun 15, 2018)

VGK lost the Stanley Cup but won the hearts of locals and even some fans who live elsewhere. 

Here's the story:
https://www.reviewjournal.com/sport...ebut-season-scores-one-for-the-history-books/

---
In other Vegas pro sports news, the Vegas Aces (WNBA) started playing this Summer. Although they aren't winning most games yet, they're coming together and have won the last two. They are a lot of fun to watch (I have season tickets) and because it's Vegas the half time shows are pretty amazing too. Tickets are not expensive (unlike the hockey games) and it's very family-friendly. The crowd is fun and energetic but not insane like the VGK crowds. Also home games are aired on the same channel as the Knights games were aired if you want to stay home or watch at a local bar/restaurant.

Details here: http://aces.wnba.com/


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