October BOG 2023; estimated 24-25 cap $87-88m
- Thread starter TheLegend
- Start date
Golden_Jet
Registered User
- Sep 21, 2005
- 22,828
- 11,149
The NBA team definitely matters. It's clear from looking at the footprint of both leagues and the history of both in small-to-midsize markets that only really the top 15 markets (give or take) can successfully support having both an NBA and NHL team. Other midsize markets can have one or the other, but not both. See places like St Louis, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, and Buffalo, for example. Salt Lake City already having the Jazz (still the stupidest non-rename of a moved team ever, by the way) gives me pause as to the suitability of the market.
NHL has basically now maxed out all of the non-NBA markets. Even LV and SEA, matter of time before NBA goes there.
Going from 21 to 32 teams, NHL got into SJ, Ana, TB, Ott, Nas, Min (St. Paul), Cbs, Sea, LV, and relocation to Car.
Markets they are talking about now are ATL and HOU as the 2 big ones. And they talk SLC, Portland, SD. All but SD are NBA markets. And going into an NBA has its own issues with the arena which the nba team controls the management agreement.
TheLegend
Megathread Gadfly
Vegas is about to become a four pro-sports town just like Phoenix with less than half the metro population.
And many people think Phoenix has too many teams.
Explain that.
Tawnos
A guy with a bass
Headshot77
Bad Photoshopper
- Feb 15, 2015
- 3,940
- 1,938
I think the NBA team matters a lot. The NBA directly competes with the NHL from a schedule and facilities standpoint. For a lot of smaller markets like Salt Lake City, the NHL or NBA should be an either/or proposition.
Tbh I think that market would best be served with an MLB team.
Nfl is ideal for LV. Once a week and just 8/9 a season and can make a weekend out of it.
Nba, all about the stars.
MLB not so much given the time of the year and how hot it is in the summer.
Tawnos
A guy with a bass
I do tend to agree with this, but the one thing that *maybe* sets SLC apart is the city’s love for winter sports. It’s the unknown factor in all of this and potentially sets SLC apart from other places in similar circumstances.
TheLegend
Megathread Gadfly
Tawnos
A guy with a bass
Yes, but not every market’s uniqueness allows it to support more teams than the baseline market size would allow. Vegas’ does.
I think NFL is perfect for LV. NBA would do fine too.
MLB, I don't think is as good a fit for LV.
And Houston and Atlanta are easily top 15 markets. Hell, they're top 8. They're the most obvious gaps in the NHL's market footprint by a country mile.
As for Vegas, there's a difference between any market's resident population and the actual number of people present at any given time because of travelers. And Vegas gets a f-ton of tourists. So do a lot of other larger cities (like New York and LA), but even they don't have such a disproportionate ratio of tourists to residents as Vegas. That's what makes the market punch so high above its weight and why all the leagues are eager to have teams there.
NFL works the best in LV IMO. 8/9 home games and it's a destination for visiting fans to go for a weekend.
NBA, more star power and more marketable than other sports. Plus, players will want to live in LV.
NHL, it's worked, can't deny that.
MLB, 81 home games during the hottest part of the season. This sport requires more local support than the other 3.
LadyStanley
Registered User
March and April are among the best months for weather in the area. (May is also pretty good.) June/July/August not so much; but among the cheapest for hotel rooms.
Stadium will be domed so cooler that outside.
With the underground tunnel system being built, getting around town shouldn't be too hot.
