How the Golden Knights Found Success
With the NHL coming to Seattle 2021, there is a real sense that Ice Hockey is a sport with a growing appeal. Hugely popular in Canadian markets, the USA’s fourth major sport has always struggled to attract the attention of the public, often eclipsed by the glamour of the NFL, the history of MLB and the draw of the NBA, but in Las Vegas that is certainly not the case.
Entering the NHL in 2017, the Vegas Golden Knights took the city by storm, embracing the fan base, culture and uniqueness of a city that never sleeps.
But how did they do it? Let’s take a look:
Getting there first
Las Vegas had no major team until the arrival of the Golden Knights and they took full advantage, selling out season tickets and getting the entire city behind them.
The sense of intrigue around the franchise was a major attraction as was the idea of Vegas having a team to represent them in a major league sport. The NFL is expected to arrive in Nevada soon but the Golden Knights really benefitted from having the place to themselves during that opening season.
The city that offers everything
Having a team in a city that offers the amount of entertainment as Las Vegas is a huge benefit to fan experience. They can make an evening of it every time the Golden Knights come out on home ice.
For example, there are a number of casinos where a supporter can go and enjoy gaming in a themed environment. The Luxor is one example, offering a 30-story hotel and huge casino with an Egyptian theme.
Las Vegas Luxor Hotel by Miguel Hermoso Cuesta (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Much like the themed land-based casinos, the appeal of playing themed slots in online casinos is a quirk that people love, with the Egyptian theme being particularly popular. If you play Cleopatra slots at LuckyPantsBingo.com you find yourself in an ancient Egyptian themed world where the reels include scarabs, sphinx and other recognizable symbols.
The Luxor has a giant pyramid at the front of the building making it a very Vegas experience. The Golden Knights recognized the unique nature of the city and took advantage.
Success on the ice
If you want to make a good first impression then it will only help you bring in the fans. The Golden Knights could not have done much more in their first season as a team. They won the division, had a great post-season and reached the Stanley Cup final, eventually losing to the Washington Capitals. They were the surprise package over the course of the season especially when you look back and see how people perceived the strength or lack of it, in their roster following the expansion draft.
William Karlsson by Michael Miller (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Some excellent performances, including an unbelievable 43-goal season from William Karlsson, who also notched up 78 points, and 50 assists from David Perron helped them defy the odds and finish the regular season with 109 points at the top of the Pacific Division.
It has not been quite as successful this season but as a new franchise, the Golden Knights have probably earned a place in the hearts of the fans for years to come.
