More Than 4,000 Season Ticket Deposits For Golden Knights’ New AHL Minor League Team In Henderson
By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
The Vegas Golden Knights have received more than 4,000 season ticket deposits for a future American Hockey League team that will be based in Henderson for the 2020-21 season. The AHL Board of Governors has to approve the VGK purchase of the San Antonio AHL team, but that should be no problem.
The VGK’s new coach, Pete DeBoer, and Knights players loved the idea of the team having its Triple A club in the same market to allow players to easily shuttle back and forth between the parent team and its affiliate, while also allowing local fans to watch hockey at a price that “won’t break the bank.”
Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore said the VGK team success and the franchise’s community involvement have created more interest for hockey in the Las Vegas market, paving the way for interest in fans paying $50-per seat season ticket deposits.
“When Vegas was originally proposed, people here were excited,” Theodore said.
The Knights use the Chicago Wolves as their AHL minor league team for their prospects.
One of those former Wolves is VGK defenseman Zach Whitecloud, who observed Sunday, “It’s clear since the Knights came here this city loves hockey.”
Most AHL tickets are in the $16-$35 range, which is much more affordable than Golden Knights tickets, which are more than $100 a ticket on average. The Golden Knights’ family-of-four costs to attend a game at T-Mobile Arena is also the fifth highest in the 31-team NHL. Team Marketing Report, a publication tracking the costs of attending major league sports game, said the VGK family-of-four game cost is $559.42, trailing only the Rangers, Maple Leafs, Blackhawks and Bruins.
“It’s awesome that people are jumping on it,” VGK netminder Marc-Andre Fleury said after the team practice at City National Arena in Summerlin. “You can bring the family and not break the bank.”
VGK forward Ryan Reaves agreed: “NHL games are more expensive. Not everyone can afford to go.”
It should be noted that all fans can make the $50-per-seat deposit for the AHL team, but Golden Knights season ticket holders will have priority numbers for seat selection over non-season ticket holders.
DeBoer, who was hired less than a month ago to replace the fired Gerard Gallant during the team’s four-week period away from Las Vegas, said he loved the fact that his former team, the San Jose Sharks, had its AHL team in the same town. He said shuttling players back-and-forth across time zones can takes a toll on a player.
“It’s fantastic. It’s invaluable,” DeBoer said of having the AHL team in the Las Vegas market at his post-practice comment time Sunday. “You call up kids and give them a fair look.”
Reaves noted, “It will be nice for those guys who go up and down (between teams). It’s tough to do that for sure.”
The VGK AHL team will practice at the Golden Knights’ new community ice center being built in Henderson. There’s talk of the AHL team playing at Orleans Arena while the Golden Knights work on lining up a permanent home for the AHL club.
Speaking of Reaves, he said his Seven-Five Brewing Company is looking to expand to the St. Louis market. That makes sense, when you consider Reaves is a former St. Louis Blues player.
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