Will Las Vegas Get an MLS Soccer Team?

As a follow up to the question about Sam Boyd stadium, are there any thoughts of Las Vegas getting a soccer team in the MLS?

Quite a few, actually. The romance between Sin City and MLS has been long simmering, dating back to the days when Oscar Goodman was mayor.

Major League Soccer is pondering adding a 30th franchise, with Charlotte (#28, 2022) and St. Louis (#29, 2023) soon to join the mix. And Las Vegas is the leading contender to be Number 30.

When asked at a press conference earlier this month if Las Vegas would be the Major League Soccer's next franchise, MLS Commissioner Don Garber said, "Yes." He added, "I'm just blown away by what’s going on in Las Vegas and I’ve been in the sports business for a really long time. I didn’t see it coming.”

He noted, however, that talks are also ongoing with Phoenix and San Diego. The MLS' 30th team "should be announced" by next October, but won't start playing in Las Vegas until 2024 at the earliest; the stadium question has to be resolved first. The USL Championship soccer team Las Vegas Lights plays at Cashman Field, admittedly an aging facility that probably won't be good enough for the pro league.

Las Vegas would not lack for a venue. In addition to Sam Boyd Stadium, Allegiant Stadium beckons, as would a ballpark in Summerlin, if the Oakland Athletics choose to relocate there. Garber’s preference, however, would seem to be a soccer-only arena, “a mini version of Allegiant,” as he put it. (A 110-acre parcel south of the Las Vegas Strip has been mentioned by the Las Vegas Review-Journal as the dream location.)

Earlier this year, a group of Las Vegas investors filed a trademark application for the name of the potential team: Las Vegas Villains.

Working against Las Vegas and in favor of Phoenix are the latter’s larger TV market and crucial Latino community, as well as level of youth activity in soccer.

For the moment, however, it’s MLS or bust for Las Vegas, as Garber plans the 30th franchise to be the last, although he’s keeping his long-term options open. “I think, as our country and Canada continue to evolve and develop — this could happen many, many years in the future — there’s no reason to think that there wouldn’t be more teams that potentially could be part of Major League Soccer in the years, years, years ahead.”

Expect an announcement next year, giving the lucky city plenty of lead time to get a facility up and operational. Could it happen here? It certainly looks that way … for the moment, at least.

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JCCoryell Dec-24-2021

Soccer?

Who cares about soccer?

Lotel Dec-24-2021

Too Late

MLS was stupid not have a team years ago and build a following  .  No way they compete with NFL, NHL, MLB and probably NBA soon

Texas Transplant Dec-24-2021

LasVegas VILLAINS???

I think someone could come up with a more "locally appropriate" name; Something that captures the flavor of the real Las Vegas,

If you want to truly get the feel of current large strip casino management and "ambiance", "Las Vegas Rip-Offs", says it all.
Other, not so graphic alternatives could be the
        "Las Vegas Buskers", 
        "Las Vegas Dealers", 
              or,... 
        "Las Vegas Stoners".

Creating the team logo to match the name could be a lot of fun. 

Creating a name could be a good idea for the next LVA survey.

Donzack Dec-24-2021

Curling

I’d rather watch curling. I know soccer is international but all that running around for final scores totaling under five points. How about a curling team.

gaattc2001 Dec-26-2021

Soccer has never been a big thing in the U.S.

In the 1950's and 60's, it was somewhat popular on the prep-school circuit, being seen as more intellectual (that is, European) and less injury-prone than football. 
You still see it at the high school and college level, and my alma matter in Memphis actually had a soccer field last time I visited. They were even playing soccer and football simultaneously at homecoming. But at the professional level, it certainly doesn't generate the raw emotionalism, the fans, or the  dollars, of football.
Quick: name three famous American professional soccer players. I'll wait....
That said, Wiki lists three U.S. soccer leagues with quite a number of clubs [1], mostly in the not-so-big population centers: Tulsa, Tucson, etc. That might actually (and ironically) be a good fit for Las Vegas.
But I submit that the name "Las Vegas Villains" is already taken, and Steve Wynn and Jim Murren are the co-captains.
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_soccer_clubs_in_the_United_States

Question of the Day - 24 December 2021

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