The Vegas Golden Knights are close to securing a spot in the NHL playoffs. The WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces begin their season next month. And the Oakland A’s are still planning a 2028 move to Las Vegas.
Nevada’s sports base is growing and it’s become a major component in the hospitality industry and the state economy.
Mitch Moss, co-host of the syndicated show, Follow The Money, on the Vegas Sports Information Network, and Alan Snel, founder of LVsportsbiz.com joined State of Nevada host Joe Schoenmann for an update on what’s happening in the sports world and what more might be coming.
The A’s
The team could be in Las Vegas in 2028 if a stadium gets built on the Las Vegas Strip. Last year, state lawmakers approved $380 million in incentives to help the team build what’s expected to be a $1.5 billion stadium.
But if it doesn’t happen, Moss doesn’t think many Nevadans will be unhappy about it.
“They’re going to be an abomination,” he said of the team. “Last year was one of the worst teams in the history of Major League Baseball. This year’s team might be worse. And the funny thing is the organization is 10 times worse,” he began.
“I’ve been asking people for a year … ‘Are you excited about the A’s moving to Las Vegas?’ I have yet to talk to a single local … that gives you-know-what, two you-know-what’s or has any passion whatsoever for this team to be here. What baseball has allowed to happen is all-time bad for any sport and they should not be coming anywhere close to Las Vegas. It’s beyond a joke.”
Snel noted that just a week ago, the A’s made a deal with Sacramento to play in their minor-league stadium for the next three years or so, until a stadium is built in Vegas.
Asked if players for the team would want to play in a minor league stadium, Moss replied with a firm “no.”
“You worked your entire life to get to this spot,” he added. “And now it’s this?”
Vegas Golden Knights
Before the Knights lost a game on Friday, Snel and Moss said they were pretty certain the team would get into the playoffs.
“The Golden Knights have, I think, turned the corner and … they’re just jockeying for position to prepare for a run once they get into the playoffs.”
UNLV Runnin’ Rebels and the Mountain West Conference
The Rebels won a lot of games and were hot at the end of the season, winning 10 of 12 games. But they weren’t one of the six Mountain West Conference teams chosen for the NCAA tournament. Some, though, are predicting the Mountain West to be a men’s basketball powerhouse conference. Moss wasn’t so sure.
“It was a pretty strong conference and they should have been proud to get six teams (into the tournament). But once they got in, they only combined to win four games.
“Overall for the regular season … it was still good and they produced a lot of entertaining games.”
UNLV Lady Rebels
The team made it to the NCAA tournament for the third season in a row. They lost in the first round, as they did the previous two years. What do they need to get better?
“I would really try to beef up their schedule to try to play better competition,” Snel said. “I would sacrifice a few losses perhaps in the regular season just to get some better competition on the schedule because obviously the Mountain West conference for women is not a high-caliber basketball league.”
Las Vegas Aces
The Aces won the championship in 2023 and 2022. This year, college star Caitlin Clark at the University of Iowa will be drafted, likely by the Indiana Fever. Moss thinks interest in the Aces, especially when they play the Fever, will be at an all-time high.
“Aces tickets recently went on sale, and some tickets in the lower bowl, there were prices on the Aces website around $900. A ticket that high is (comparable) to a Golden Knights playoff ticket.”
The Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders made a lot of high-profile moves during free-agency. They have the NFL draft coming up. Asked if the Raiders are on track to get to the playoffs in the upcoming season, both Moss and Snel said “no.”
Guests: Mitch Moss, co-host, "Follow the Money" on VSIN; Alan Snel, founder and writer, LVsportsbiz.com
