With deposits on season tickets "having reached 16,000, the Las Vegas NHL expansion team has announced it will stop future sales for its inaugural season" in '17-18, according to Steve Carp of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. A waiting list "has been established and fans still may place deposits on season tickets." A limited number of gameday tickets "will be made available" before the team begins to play next fall at T-Mobile Arena. The arena "seats 17,500 for hockey" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 9/20). USA TODAY's A.J. Perez noted it "took 18 months for the franchise to reach the 16,000-ticket mark." Fans were "asked to deposit between $75 and $900 per seat." The team's "initial goal was 10,000 tickets" (USATODAY.com, 9/19). NBCSPORTS.com's James O'Brien wrote the team still has a "ways to go to be an on-ice success, but it’s tough to beat up" team Owner Bill Foley "too much for tooting his horn here." O'Brien: "So far, so very good for the NHL in Sin City" (NBCSPORTS.com, 9/19). The REVIEW JOURNAL's Carp noted Foley "now turns his attention toward building a business, marketing and sales staff" for his team. Foley "interviewed six candidates for the president of business operations position and said he is close to selecting that person." Foley "enlisted the help of Turnkey Search." He "would not reveal the identities of the six finalists" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 9/18).
STILL SOME SKEPTICISM TO DEAL WITH: FS1’s Jay Onrait noted the Las Vegas team, which is "rumored to be called the Desert Knights," has sold out, saying that is "something we weren't expecting." FS1’s Dan O’Toole, while claiming he was not surprised by the ticket demand, said of the NHL in Las Vegas, "Will it work? No. Is it a horrible name? Yes.” O’Toole called T-Mobile Arena a “great arena” and he would attend a game “just to sit in the arena.” Onrait: “Maybe that’s what people are thinking? ‘I haven’t been to the arena yet, I’ll put a deposit down.’ Plus, these are only deposits, so they can get that back” (“Fox Sports Live,” FS1, 9/20).
