Poker Writer
The NBA Board of Governors voted on Wednesday to approve the exploration of two new franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle. The vote is not a guarantee that the league will expand from 30 to 32 teams, but it does indicate things are moving forward with surveying interested bidders to place teams in those two cities.
It has been more than 20 years since the NBA last expanded with the addition of the Charlotte Bobcats (now the Hornets) in 2004, which brought the league from 29 to 30 teams.
The expansion fee will likely be anywhere from $7 billion to $10 billion.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made the following statement in a release:
Today’s vote reflects our Board’s interest in exploring potential expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle — two markets with a long history of support for NBA basketball. We look forward to taking this next step and engaging with interested parties.
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo voiced his support of the vote and declared that he is “very excited to the NBA advance this process toward a Las Vegas expansion team.”
Most of the reaction from NBA fans on X centered on the league returning to Seattle and bringing back the SuperSonics.
But the Vegas aspect is the more unknown part of the equation and will be of most interest to poker players and casino-goers.
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Potential Fifth Pro Sports Franchise For Vegas
An NBA team would be yet another major pro sports franchise for Las Vegas, which has exploded in professional sports over the last 10 years after decades of no pro teams.
- NHL: Vegas Golden Knights (2017)
- WNBA: Las Vegas Aces (2018)
- NFL: Las Vegas Raiders (2020)
- MLB: Las Vegas Athletics (Yet to move)
The Golden Knights and the Aces have become a staple of Vegas culture with successful seasons and championships. Both franchises also lean into being a team for Vegas locals. The Raiders have not had the same success so far and still struggle to adapt to Sin City after a long history as a team in Oakland and Los Angeles.
The Athletics still face questions over the stadium where they will play. They also remain dogged by decades of spendthrift ownership, with many fans skeptical that the move will change anything.
A potential NBA franchise would have the same advantage that the Golden Knights and Aces have in that it would be a new franchise, as opposed to taking one from another city. It seems that getting local buy-in is easier in the former setup.
There is also significant momentum toward an MLS franchise coming to Vegas in the next few years, with a pathway of local support.
Where Would the Vegas NBA Team Play?
Las Vegas has several venues where an NBA team could play. The question is, which one would be ideal for a brand-new franchise?
MGM Resorts President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle indicated that T-Mobile Arena, home of the Vegas Golden Knights, would be an option. It could be a joint NHL/NBA venue similar to Madison Square Garden in Manhattan.
Another option would be the Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus, which has hosted the NBA summer league since 2004 and the 2007 NBA All-Star game. It has also served as the venue for the NBA Cup semifinals and finals in each of the event’s first three years.
However, its location off the strip and the age of the arena (1983) make it less desirable for an NBA franchise. Furthermore, the home team would have to schedule around UNLV basketball.
It is also possible that a new arena could be built for the franchise. The NBA is reportedly targeting a 2028-29 debut for the expansion teams.
