Vegas Adds Another Pro Team To Market As Lacrosse’s Desert Dogs Make Debut On Strip With 9-3 Loss Friday; Team Says Attendance Was 7,072
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Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
Who knew?
It would be the National Lacrosse League — neither the NBA, MLB nor MLS — that would be the next big leagues to call Las Vegas home.
On June 21, 2021, Wayne Gretzky and Joe Tsai came to Mandalay Bay’s Michelob Ultra Arena to announce that the NLL’s 15th team would make its home in Las Vegas.
So, on Friday 18 months later, a team called the Las Vegas Desert Dogs with its coyote-like logo made Las Vegas sports history by playing their inaugural home game on the Strip. The Desert Dogs say they have more than 2,000 season ticket holders. Even the Raiders’ Davante Adams attended the Dogs’ debut in Las Vegas.
Panther City Lacrosse Club from Fort Worth, Texas came calling after Panther City defeated the Dogs, 13-11, a week ago in Las Vegas’ first game in franchise history.
Indoor lacrosse, or box lacrosse, is five-on-five action plus a goalie on each team guarding a goal that’s not much bigger than the balloon-like, protective Michelin man gear worn by the netminder. The indoor setting includes hockey-like boards, football-like collisions and basketball-like movements. It’s fast-paced, hard-hitting with total game goals usually in the double digits.
Ticket prices will be comparable to those of the Las Vegas Aviators Triple-A baseball team, the NBA G League Ignite, Las Vegas Aces and UNLV football/basketball. The Desert Dogs’ fan profile will mirror that of the Golden Knights’ fans, said Mark Fine, the Desert Dogs CEO.
The Dogs’ GM and coach is Shawn Williams, who played in this league for 17 years and is a lacrosse Hall-of-Famer. The season is 18 games — nine at home and nine on the road.
For the record, Panther City led, 4-1, at the half and saw the Dogs cut the lead to a single goal at 4-3. But Panther City reeled off five straight goals for a 9-3 advantage late in the game.
Final: Panther City 9 Las Vegas 3
Panther City is 2-0, while Las Vegas is 0-2 on the season.
