NHL Expansion: Five (Mock) Ideas for Vegas
By Adam Savard
The NHL and Las Vegas expansion seems like a marriage made for Elvis to officiate. If the league doesn’t want what happens in Vegas to wind up in Quebec City, a little creative marketing may be in order.
It seems that NHL expansion into Las Vegas in inevitable. You can read about the website that prospective ownership has created to determine season ticket interest here. And now the voice of the ownership group, William Foley, has voiced his support for “Black Knights” to be the name of the franchise.
But that isn’t as fun to consider. Here are a few suggestions/concepts that the Las Vegas franchise can look at to strengthen ownership as well as grow the fan base:
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1) Player/owner Thomas Vanek. Vanek still has gas in the tank and would provide some scoring punch as a top six forward. The bigger story would be that Vanek wouldn’t have to invest any of his own money. Foley would be able to give up a 10% ownership in the franchise should Vanek choose to cash in his comp credits.
2) The goal horn would be replaced by the most obnoxious slot machine jackpot siren known to human kind. Not only would the (insert team name here) get the goal, but they would simultaneously unleash phycological chaos on the visiting team. Unless you are the person winning at slots that is in the top three most grating noises, just behind nails on a chalkboard and just ahead of Miley Cyrus music.
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3) Intermissions would consist of trapeze acts from rafter to rafter, animals jumping through hoops of fire, and an ice skating elephant. Because a trip to the circus gets you back in touch with your inner child. Just leave the clowns out. Clowns are a creepy class of individual. Unless you are paying homage to Stephen King’s “It” with your jersey crest, clowns have no place at the rink.
4) Rotating famous anthem singers. Look at the caliber of shows you get when you go to Las Vegas. Say what you will about their music but Celine Dion and Wayne Newton are massive names in the entertainment industry that have had great runs in Sin City. Imagine a performer popping in from a neighboring casino to sing the National Anthem. It would be a cool bonus for fans, and season ticket holders along with sponsors in the luxury boxes could get to meet the performers and get autographs.
5) Mascot boxing. Just because the league is trying to reduce fighting in the game doesn’t mean that you can’t have it beyond the game. Get the fans to vote the top sixteen mascots and have them fight in a tournament that takes place during the season ending awards ceremony, which is already in Vegas. You could hold preliminary bouts during intermissions so that the league can be ranked properly. Harvey the Hound is the early favorite at 9-2.