An influx of out-of-town fans has complemented the Golden Knights' fast start at the box officeGETTY IMAGES
The Golden Knights' inaugural season by most measures has been a "smashing success -- one the Raiders hope to duplicate when they move to the city from Oakland" for the '20 NFL season, according to Ken Belson of the N.Y. TIMES. Through their first 31 home games, the Golden Knights "averaged 17,969 fans," or 103.5% of T-Mobile Arena's capacity, when "including standing room tickets." All 44 luxury suites "have been rented." The team "sold its entire allotment of 12,500 season tickets." According to Fanatics, the Golden Knights have "ranked fourth in NHL merchandise sales this season" -- and first since the start of '18. The fast start by the Golden Knights has, for now, "allayed fears that the NHL’s decision to put another team in a desert city would lead to financial trouble." Las Vegas is the country’s 40th largest television market, and the city had "little hockey tradition." But an "influx of out-of-town fans has complemented the Golden Knights’ fast start on the ice and at the box office." The Golden Knights’ success is an "encouraging sign for the NFL." The Raiders "hope to double down on the Knights’ success at drawing out-of-town visitors." In most NFL markets, roughly 5% of fans at a typical game are "from out of town." Yet according to the Raiders’ projections, about "half the fans at the 10 Raiders home games will come from outside Las Vegas" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/28).
