By Thed
Any native Vegas local will tell you that without having professional sports teams within city limits, they’ve always had to pick and choose other teams to root for during games. Las Vegas has struggled for years to try to get major league teams to our Valley. But as far as 2018 goes, professional Las Vegas sports teams have been the talk of the town.
Las Vegas has been a sports town for a long time, just not in the same way sports havens Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York are. Thousands of visitors flock to Las Vegas every year to watch and bet on events like the Super Bowl, March Madness, NASCAR, and championship boxing and UFC matches. But as far as the big four goes… NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLB… Vegas has never been home for a big leaguer. The main reason for the delay of introducing major leagues to the Valley was the concern about Nevada’s gambling reputation and the possibility of fixed games. Several minor leagues have tried over the years, only lasting a few seasons.
Between the progress of the Las Vegas Raiders stadium, the move for the WNBA Aces, and the inaugural season of the Golden Knights, Vegas has become more than just a sports betting capital – it’s now a professional sports team hub. While we’ve seen several Las Vegas sports events pop up in the past and many failed attempts from other sports, there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel on our road to being a professional sports team city.