Another home game for the Las Vegas Raiders was taken over by the opposing team’s fans. The “Terrible Towel” was everywhere in Las Vegas.
It wasn’t just because “Steeler Nation” travels well. It’s also because of the product on the field. The fans in Las Vegas have not embraced the Las Vegas Raiders because the team is the opposite of their neighbors, the Vegas Golden Knights. The Golden Knights are consistent winners while the Raiders have just one winning season in Vegas.
Highest Ticket Prices In NFL
On average, the Las Vegas Raiders have the most expensive ticket in the NFL. According to Sports Illustrated, the average price of a Raiders game last season was $433. It’s similar for this season. The move to Las Vegas has made owner Mark Davis a billionaire. The problem is Raider fans can’t afford to live in neighboring California and go to games. The cost of living plus the travel costs is too high.
It’s easier if you’re a fan of an opposing team to choose this game as the one to go to. Las Vegas is a destination town that’s very attractive for fans who live in other cities like Pittsburgh or Green Bay. Teams in popular destination cities also face similar problems. At the same time, it’s led to the Las Vegas Raiders having to battle their home crowd. They don’t have a home-field advantage like they had in Oakland.
They Don’t Have a Local Fanbase
Despite being a financial success, the Las Vegas Raiders are a failure. They don’t have a local fanbase in the area like the Golden Knights do. It’s hard to blame fans for not showing up to games since they aren’t “Vegas Born” like the Golden Knights are. It’s also hard to blame fans for not showing up to games when the product on the field has been so bad. Fans don’t show up when you aren’t winning games.
In Oakland, the Las Vegas Raiders often had issues selling out the Coliseum. They had constant television blackouts due to low attendance. For example, in 2009 seven of eight home games were blacked out. From 1995-2009, only 25 of 88 home games were sold out. Until the product on the field improves, they will not have fans in Las Vegas. Fans aren’t paying over $430 to see a bottom-feeder.
The Golden Knights and Aces Show Vegas Fans Care
There was a lot of skepticism about whether or not fans in Las Vegas would care about professional sports. The Golden Knights blew that idea out of the water. They marketed themselves as “Vegas Born” and were embraced by the local fans. They won their first title in 2023. The Las Vegas Aces are beloved in the city and two-time WNBA Champions. The Aces also have the WNBA Most Valuable Player.
The Las Vegas Raiders haven’t had a home playoff game since the 2002 AFC Championship Game. They have one playoff season in 2021 in Vegas. They didn’t do well to market themselves to the area, instead believing the Raider and NFL brands would market themselves. Fans demand winning. They also didn’t want another city’s leftovers. The Raiders failed to adapt to Las Vegas and it shows everywhere.
Conclusion; Take Notes John Fisher and Adam Silver
The Oakland A’s appear set to join the Golden Knights and Las Vegas Raiders in a few years. John Fisher might be the worst owner in MLB next to Jerry Reinsdorf, but is somehow getting to relocate the historic franchise. If Fisher manages to get to Las Vegas, he needs to learn from the failure of the Raiders. The A’s need to win, and win fast. Otherwise, they will suffer the same fate as the Las Vegas Raiders.
The NBA also is rumored to be looking to put a team in Las Vegas. Unlike the terrible move that the MLB is allowing, the NBA seems to have learned from the Raiders and Knights. The “Vegas Born” slogan from the Knights was a marketing masterclass. Giving Vegas an expansion team instead of a team with a history will be more appealing. If they’re successful, that’s a plus as well for the NBA.
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