How Las Vegas Learnt to Embrace Sports

por Wosti -

For many decades, Las Vegas was renowned as the entertainment capital of the world. In many ways, it still is. Millions flock from all over the planet to experience the vibrancy and razzamatazz of the Strip, with its dazzling casinos, glittering shows, and lavish nightlife.

Despite its solid reputation as an entertainment hub, there’s been one notable absentee from Vegas’ live entertainment portfolio – major professional sports.

Through the years, “Sin City” has struggled to attract major sports franchises to the Nevada desert. Some of the main concerns center on the relatively small local population, given that much of the Strip is based around a transient tourist economy. In addition, there have long been question marks over the influence of Vegas’ gaming industry on the integrity of live sports performed here.

Thankfully, the regulating of sports betting in Nevada has eased those fears, while others have since decided to put their faith in the people of Las Vegas in a “build it and they will come” attitude. The arrival of NFL and NHL teams has redefined the sporting landscape in Las Vegas, redefining the city’s entertainment landscape and demonstrating that sports can thrive alongside its long-standing attractions.

Introducing the Vegas Golden Knights and the Las Vegas Raiders

The biggest breakthrough for live sports in Vegas came in 2017 when the NHL granted an expansion team to play in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Golden Knights were born, with their T-Mobile Arena constructed just one block off the south end of the Strip. The Golden Knights endeared themselves to locals by defying the odds to reach the Stanley Cup Finals in their first season. This level of success helped to foster a strong, local fan base. Today, the T-Mobile Arena is a vibrant hub of activity on game nights for locals and tourists alike.

Although the Golden Knights were unable to win the Stanley Cup in their first visit to the Stanley Cup Finals, they went one better in the 2022-23 NHL season. They went on to defeat wild card team Florida Panthers 4-1 in the finals to lift the iconic trophy just five years after their formation.

The success of the Golden Knights quickly prompted another major win by attracting an NFL franchise to the city. In 2020, the Oakland Raiders relocated their team to Vegas, becoming the Las Vegas Raiders. The world-class 65,000-capacity Allegiant Stadium stands a stone’s throw from the T-Mobile Arena, with the south end of the Strip establishing itself as the major league sports hub of the city.

In 2021, the Raiders qualified for the end-of-season playoffs but lost their wildcard game to the Cincinnati Bengals. They’ve not reached the playoffs since, but they’re still finding their feet under new head coach, Antonio Pierce, who impressed as an interim appointment and got the job on a full-time basis in January 2024. The 2024-25 NFL season begins in early September, with the Raiders starting their regular season against the LA Chargers.

Balancing sports with the city’s conventional entertainment offerings

Although locals and visitors alike are increasingly hung up on their newfound sports franchises, the entertainment offerings that made Vegas great in the first place have never fallen by the wayside. In fact, its casino scene is as vibrant as ever, particularly its live poker scene. The Strip’s casinos all have exclusive poker rooms which play host to cash games as well as live poker tournaments.

These events cater for a broad range of poker players, with regular events having blind levels which rise every eight-to-15 minutes. Meanwhile turbo events with five-to-six-minute blind levels cater for the casual, novice players with shorter attention spans. Turbos are increasingly popular at online poker rooms too, delivering a more accessible form of tournament play at home or on the go. Blinds are one of the most important concepts to consider when entering any poker tournament, bet it live or online, as they will determine whether a player has scope to bide their time or should go for the jugular.

Vegas has also worked hard to usher in next-generation entertainment innovations to stay relevant in an ever-changing world. The construction of the MSG Sphere was a multi-billion-dollar masterpiece, with Irish rock band U2 opening the venue with a 40-show residency. This harmonious blend of the old and the new will ensure Vegas isn’t usurped as a world-leading leisure and entertainment destination.