Will Major League Baseball Come to Las Vegas?
It is starting to look like Las Vegas will be the next big sporting destination in America. Although it wasn’t until 2017 that the city got its first major league team, the Vegas Golden Knights, things are moving quickly along as the Oakland Raiders finalize their plans to head to Vegas and Major League Baseball is considering a similar expansion (Pictured: Chicago Cubs win 2016 World Series – Photo: Credit CC 2.0).
A Viable Market for MLB Expansion
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has stated that Las Vegas is a “viable market” in a recent interview. While the conversation has been ongoing for a couple of years, it looks like baseball in Las Vegas is getting closer and closer to becoming a reality. As such, gaming experts at sites like VegasOdds.com seem confident that MLB will be the latest Vegas expansion.
With an MLB team in Las Vegas, the league would be able to have either four divisions of eight teams or eight divisions of four teams. Currently, there are six divisions of five teams which Manfred has said is less flexible when it comes to planning the schedule.
It would also help to boost tourism to bring an MLB team to Vegas. Since the city is already a tourist destination, it is likely that fans will travel to the city to watch their favorite teams while taking advantage of all of the amazing facilities that Vegas has to offer.
However, he is not yet completely set on Las Vegas. Manfred has noted that Portland, Nashville and Charlotte are all viable locations, but is also considering another Canadian city or one in Mexico. So, there is some mulling over that needs to be done before the MLB decides on Vegas as its next destination.
Vegas Golden Knights – A Success Story
The Vegas Knights serve as a great example for any team that is considering setting up shop in Las Vegas. The team has only been around for one year and has become one of the most prosperous expansion teams during this time.
The team has not only been a sensation in the sports world but is also a huge financial success story. The Vegas Golden Knights had the fourth highest-selling kit in the NHL with the team’s goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury having the fourth most popular jersey. The only players with more popular shirts are Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews.
On top of all this, the team generated over $65 million in ticket sales in its first season. As such, it is the fourth best team, when it comes to filling the capacity of its arena. With an average capacity of 103.7%, Vegas Golden Knights games regularly sell out its seats and sell plenty of Standing Room Only tickets.
Taking all of this into consideration, it would be a wise move for the MLB to expand into Las Vegas. With the Oakland Raiders moving into town next, Vegas could be one of the hottest spots for sports in America.