By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
The Las Vegas Aces are looking to beef up game revenues by selling suites at Michelob Ultra Arena for the first time.
The two-time WNBA defending champs are cashing in on their popularity as the Aces announced several weeks ago that its season ticket pool was sold out. The Aces’ arena at Mandalay Bay hotel-casino has a capacity about 10,000.
Aces President Nikki Fargas told LVSportsBiz.com Friday that 8,600 season tickets have been sold, so there will be some, but limited, individual game tickets.
LVSportsBiz.com talked with Fargas along with Aces Business Development chief Jennifer Azzi as we stopped at the team’s Media Day Friday.
We also also interviewed Aces’ stars A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum about their personal business endorsements and the important of corporate America buying into supporting the 12-team WNBA, which plays a 40-game schedule.
It should be noted the WNBA season will have a break from July 21 to Aug 14 so that players can participate in the Summer Olympics. The Aces alone might have four or five players participating in the Olympics, Fargas said.
Both Wilson, who received praise for her book released this year, and Plum have scored some high-profile business endorsement deals like Wilson’s deals with Nike, Mountain Dew, and Ruffles, while Plum has sponsorship agreements with State Farm, Under Armor and Nike.
Aces General Manager Nathalie Williams on the players and their business interests:
ADVERTISEMENT
Shop at LVSportsBiz.com advertisers like Jay’s Market at 190 East Flamingo Road at the Koval Lane intersection east of the Strip.
ADVERTISEMENT
Aces guard Sydney Colson and former Aces player Theresa Plaisance also teamed up for a comedy series.
Here’s our interview with Azzi:
The Aces are selling suites at various price points, including a shared party suite that carries a premium single-game ticket of $200 per seat. That party suite deal includes food with beverages that will need to be purchased, Fargas said.
The Aces lead the league in 8,600 season tickets, but the team will still keep their affordable $10 seat deal for 2024, Fargas said.
“We want to make it an affordable pricing model,” she said. “We’d love to have families there.”
A major new corporate partner is Detroit-based Ally Financial, which bought the Aces jersey patch. Fargas liked the fact that Ally has a pledge to spend 50/50 on financial support for men’s sports and women’s sports.
“You have a company that is committed to media spending equity,” Fargas said.
Raiders owner Mark Davis bought the Aces in January 2021 and bolstered the status of the team by building the Aces their own headquarters next to the Raiders’ home base in Henderson.
Davis bought the team from Las Vegas-based MGM Resorts International, which acquired the former San Antonio franchise and rebranded the club into the Aces in 2018.
Davis hired Becky Hammon to coach the Aces, paying her a $1 million annual salary that’s the highest for a coach in the WNBA.
Aces’ camp opened April 28, with the team playing a preseason game vs Puerto Rico May 11 in South Carolina and starting season vs Phoenix at 7PM May 14 at Michelob Ultra Arena.
Friday’s Media Day took place at Vu Las Vegas, a production center near the airport.