Professional Sports Teams in Las Vegas: A Brief Overview

After many years of waiting on the sidelines, Las Vegas has recently become home to a number of major sports teams. Historically, the city was considered a risky place to house major league sports teams because of the legality of sports betting, but the tides are well on their way to changing. As of 2023, the Las Vegas Valley has three major league sports teams and one in the works. For residents and their guests who enjoy being a spectator at sporting events, Las Vegas is an increasingly perfect destination. Whether you are a fan of ice hockey, football, women’s basketball, or baseball, Las Vegas has a home team that you’ll be proud to root for and venues that cater to patrons of all ages.

Las Vegas Raiders

Though the Las Vegas Raiders once belonged to Oakland and Los Angeles before making their way to Vegas, the city couldn’t be prouder of its NFL team. The Las Vegas Raiders officially moved to Las Vegas in January 2020, and since then the team has made Allegiant Stadium its home. Throughout the 2020 season, the Las Vegas Raiders played without fans at their home games due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but excitedly welcomed fans back into the stadium the following season. The Raiders’ signature silver and black uniform first made its debut in 1963, and with the exception of changing Oakland to Las Vegas in certain places, the team’s uniform and logo have remained untouched since the team relocated to Las Vegas. Those who live or visit Las Vegas can take advantage of attending home games, at Allegiant Stadium, which is set to host Super Bowl LVIII in February 2024, is only a short drive away from the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.

Vegas Golden Knights

A member of the NHL’s Pacific Division in the Western Conference, the Vegas Golden Knights was founded in 2017 and also happens to be the first major sports franchise representing the city of Las Vegas. The Vegas Golden Knights proudly call the T-Mobile Arena, located on the Las Vegas Strip, home and fans can look forward to attending home games in the gorgeous venue. The first Vegas Golden Knights home game was played on October 10, 2017 against the Arizona Coyotes, and later that season the team became the first in the history of the NHL to sweep their very first playoff series. You’ll recognize the Vegas Golden Knights by their logo, a barbute helmet, which is superimposed atop a black and gold shield. If you pay a visit to their home stadium you might have the chance to spot the team’s mascot, a Gila monster named Chance.

Las Vegas Aces

While the WNBA has yet to garner as much notoriety as the NBA, Las Vegas is the home of the Las Vegas Aces, a professional women’s basketball team that competes as a member of the Western Conference. The team, which won the 2022 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup and WNBA Championship, may very well be the most accomplished of all of Las Vegas’s major league sports teams. The Las Vegas Aces got their start in Salt Lake City as the Utah Starzz, and then moved to San Antonio before putting down roots in Las Vegas. Today, the Las Vegas Aces call the city’s Michelob Ultra Arena home, and the venue’s 12,000 seat capacity means that residents and guests alike can enjoy one of the team’s highly competitive games.

Las Vegas A’s

Still currently the Oakland Athletics, or Oakland A’s, the soon-to-be Las Vegas A’s are getting a brand new home along the Las Vegas Strip. When Oakland’s major league baseball team was in search of a stadium, it was quickly determined that Las Vegas would be the perfect place to house this long-standing MLB team. The baseball team will soon play home games at a brand new arena with 30,000 seats located at the site of the Wild Wild West casino, directly across the interstate from T-Mobile Arena, which is home to the Golden Knights. Construction on the new arena is expected to get underway sometime between mid to late 2024 once all contracts and legislation are fully completed.