By ALAN SNEL
LVSportsBiz.com
LVSportsBiz.com photos by Daniel Clark
It was halftime at the Las Vegas Aces – Indiana Fever WNBA game at Mandalay Bay Events Center and Lance Evans gazed at the darkened arena in anticipation of a popular show act on the Strip.
“Everybody is staying in their seats at halftime. Where do you see that,” said Evans, the MGM Resorts International executive overseeing the Aces’ business operations in the team’s first re-branded year in Las Vegas after the hotel/casino/entertainment company purchased the San Antonio Stars and moved the squad to the Strip.
Nobody left the 7,500-seat arena at the half because Blue Man Group was in the house to entertain the Aces fans with its percussion mime routine with a side of comedy.
“This is still a show,” Evans told LVSportsBiz.com at halftime.
In much the same way the Aces basketball team has gelled into playoff-contending unit, the team’s in-game entertainment efforts are also finding a rhythm as the lightning, music, fan engagement are clicking in between the basketball action of A’Ja Wilson’s power drives to the basketball and Kayla McBride’s three-point shots.
“I used to sweat it, but not anymore,” Evans said. “It took a while to get it right.”
Stressing entertainment and giving fans a show are second nature for the Aces when you consider the team’s owner has access to acts up and down the Strip. In some ways, the Aces are following in the in-game entertainment footsteps of the NHL Vegas Golden Knights, which also included Blue Man Group and other popular acts such as Cirque du Soleil.
The Aces weave in a goofy video feature called, “Words of Wisdom from Bill Laimbeer,” where the six-foot, 11-inch offers off-bear advice while sitting in a chair next to a fire in a country house to the conventional kiss cam and T-shirt tosses.
Evans said the team has been drawing anywhere from 3,500 to 5,700 fans a game to the renovated arena, which received up to $10 million worth of improvements such as a new center scoreboard and new seats.
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The Aces methodically grounded down the Indiana Fever. 88-74, with the Las Vegas led by A’ja Wilson’s 24 points ands 16 points from Kayla McBride. Chipping in with 12 points apiece were Kelsey Plum and Carolyn Swords. The Fever dropped to 3-22.
A familiar courtside fan at Aces home games has been Raiders owner Mark Davis, who chatted with sports reporters and took in the win. Here’s a look at the Raiders stadium construction in Vegas.
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