Enamored With Las Vegas: Another League Hears Siren Call Of Sports Vegas (And This One Has Been Here Before)
By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
This time, it’s the XFL smitten by that alluring sports siren called Las Vegas.
As if this market doesn’t have enough sports options, word came from the XFL Sunday that it’s rebooting its league and Las Vegas was among eight markets that will host a team.
As you just read, the Las Vegas market is the sole one without a designated venue.
The Las Vegas Raiders, which run Allegiant Stadium, draw so many out-of-town fans to their home games that I’m sure owner Mark Davis has no fear about the Raiders losing revenues and local fans to an XFL team. (Former Raiders player Rod Woodson will be the XFL team coach in Las Vegas.)
But does the Raiders and Davis want to rent out their domed football stadium to an XFL team? If not Allegiant Stadium, Sam Boyd Stadium out near the Las Vegas Wash is always around.
For you history buffs, the XFL has been in Las Vegas before in 2001. Namely, it the Las Vegas Outlaws playing at — you guessed it — Sam Boyd Stadium. Interestingly enough, one of that team’s better-known players, Rod “He Hate Me” Smart, also played for the Raiders.
The XFL wants to kick off its latest rebuilt version of a league Feb. 18, 2023. Buy a season ticket deposit for $50.
The league does have name recognition with its owner, Dwayne Johnson, and broadcast partner, Disney and ESPN.
Las Vegas has lots of football. The Raiders are the kings of the gridiron in this market, but the Indoor Football League has Golden Knights owner Bill Foley’s Knight Hawks playing in The Dollar Loan Center arena in Henderson. And don’t forget, UNLV has a football team, too.
And Las Vegas has new teams like the Las Vegas Desert Dogs of the National Lacrosse League that will start play at Michelob Ultra Arena in Mandalay Bay.
Plus, Formula One makes its entry into the Las Vegas market in November 2023 with a grand prix race down the Strip.
