By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
Where to watch Vegas Golden Knights playoff games?
There’s no easy answer during a coronavirus pandemic.
Massive watch parties are out under the governor’s order of no gatherings of more than 50 people in light of a very contagious COVID-19 virus that has claimed the lives of 165,000 Americans. No watch parties at the Downtown Las Vegas Events center or the Red Rock Resort pool or on the plaza outside T-Mobile Arena like during the first two seasons.
In Las Vegas, a market that is producing some of the higher NHL playoff team TV ratings, it means many people are staying home and watching the Golden Knights play the Chicago Blackhawks in round one of the Pandemic Playoffs. The Knights methodically took out Chicago in the Edmonton Bubble in Game 1 Tuesday evening as Shea Theodore and William Carrier scored goals in period two and VGK winger Reilly Smith salted the 4-1 win with two goals in period three. The VGK goalie was not fan favorite Marc-Andre Fleury but Robin Lehner, who backstopped the solid win.
On Tuesday, true, some fans did visit local restaurants like the Golden Knights’ own MacKenzie River pizzeria at the team training center/headquarters at City National Arena in Downtown Summerlin. But the majority of VGK fans likely stayed in their living rooms and homes to watch the Knights start their attempt to win an NHL title in Season 3.
And with that in mind, the Golden Knights have created a home watch party kid that retails for $30.
LVSportsBiz.com contacted Brian Killingsworth, VGK’s chief marketing officer, to get the lowdown on the Knights’ newest retail product. Here’s how the watch kit came together.
“We truly have the best home ice advantage in the NHL with the best fans in the National Hockey League. We all miss the collective energy and excitement of a packed Fortress so we wanted to find an innovative way to have our fans be able to celebrate VGK Stanley Cup Playoff wins with their friends and family so we created the Stay-at-home watch party kits,” Killingsworth explained.
“Each Watch Party kit contains an exclusive playoff Knight Up bag, playoff rally towels, light up cheer sticks, car decals, cowbells, whistles and other noisemakers for only $30. We are encouraging our fans to show us their at-home viewing set-ups and capture their goal celebrations and send it to us on Twitter at @goldenknights. The Stay-at-home Watch Party Kits have been selling really well at the Arsenal at City National Arena and online at vegasteamstore.com and we only have a limited number of kits left.”
Here’s some Twitter feedback on the watch kits.
The Golden Knights take on the Blackhawks Thursday.
LVSportsBiz.com talked with former VGK radio announcer Frank Harnish before Game 1 Tuesday.
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