Las Vegas expansion dominates NHL awards backdrop in Sin City
LAS VEGAS – The NHL Awards felt like the least important league-related story Tuesday in Vegas.
Within the smoldering hot confines of this city, the talk of expansion to this place loomed before Wednesday’s Board of Governors meeting here. The NHL’s general managers said it wasn’t talked about in their meeting at the Bellagio – yeah right.
Many actually skirted the issue, opting to not bring it up at all.
“That’s above me,” Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said. Sure … not like he’s one of the most powerful GMs in hockey. Oh wait, he is.
Others chatted in generalities.
“I’m not a gambler, but I love the shows,” Devils GM Ray Shero said. “One of these things is always the question, whether it’s people coming through (tourists) or more importantly the season ticket holders in Vegas or companies. It’s a very interesting market, which a lot of sport leagues have looked at and the NHL at this point we’ll see where it goes.”
Really, Las Vegas, and whatever actions the NHL’s BOG take Wednesday in Sin City, where the league also will host its awards just hours later, will dominate hockey headlines.
Who will win the Hart Trophy, Vezina Trophy, Norris Trophy, Mark Messier Leadership Award presented by a tire company? All those names will be recorded, but they won’t match whatever the Board of Governors decides to do and whether they opt to try to forge a path forward. Earlier in the year NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league would give a report to its BOG on Vegas expansion in June – which is obviously right now.
The ticket drive has already zoomed upwards of the magical 10,000 mark. An MGM exec has gone on record saying an official vote will come in September. The New York Times said Vegas is targeting a team in 2017.
It has too much momentum to not happen. But how will the league message it? And what will it do Wednesday to give it the right type of publicity to package to its fanbase, players, member teams and sponsors.
“I’m all for wherever they can make money,” Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf said. “The markets are what they are. We have some organizations that are struggling a little bit. I think if you can grow the game in a different area and try to reach a different group of people I’m all for it.”
Go see David Copperfield … then watch Jordin Tootoo (and random expansion target enforcer) beat each other’s brains in.
Check out Celine Dion … then watch the Las Vegas (whatevers) muck up Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and the dynastic Chicago Blackhawks.
How would the NHL fit on a strip that includes larger-than-life marquees of acts and celebrities and other strange elements seem to overpower the visual senses here? Would it blend or would it stand out?
There were jokes about players getting drunk or partying in Las Vegas. They’re rich young dudes with money. Of course this is an issue. But it happens everywhere around the league.
“We would need one giant room to sleep the entire team in it and have the coach sleep at the door,” Flames coach Bob Hartley said with a laugh.
As the NHL still struggles with its identity in non-traditional markets (See Coyotes of Arizona or Panthers of Florida) this would be the most different of all places it has gone.
Whatever the league says Wednesday will be poked, prodded questioned and pondered as it should. If the NHL moves forward, it could be one of the most important moments in the NHL’s post 2005 lockout history.
So far, the NHL has done the right type of PR. It has slowly allowed Vegas to have its ticket drive. The market has sort of proven it can sell tickets. The league has shown it can make a bold decision that feels calculated, unlike prior expansion money grabs – though Vegas would still mean a reported short-term $500 million windfall for the NHL. There’s a beautiful new building being built that’s crying for an anchor tenant.
Now comes the next step – a likely bridge to the hardest one the NHL will take when it awards this city its first major pro franchise. The league and Vegas have both made all the right moves so far. There’s no going backwards.
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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper
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