In recent years, Las Vegas has evolved into a major sports center, buoyed by the NHL Golden Knights, the WNBA Las Vegas Aces, the Las Vegas Aviators (minor league baseball), and the incoming NFL team, the Las Vegas Raiders. Don’t forget to add in NASCAR, UFC, boxing and the NBA Summer League.
It all came to a crashing halt March 11, when Utah Jazz star center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus. In a matter of days, every sports team, casino and sportsbook in Las Vegas—and everywhere else—was shut down. And the long drought began.
Of all the activities people will welcome back in the post-coronavirus world, sports will be near the top of the list, Don Logan, president and COO of the Aviators, told GGB News.
“As a sports guy, I do believe sports is a catalyst for a return to normal, particularly baseball,” he said. “Everyone is optimistic, and there’s a mental comfort when sports get cranked up. But we don’t know when we’ll play. This is way bigger than sports.”
Logan hopes for some clarification by the end of April. “Maybe we’ll have a better understanding then about what’s going on, how to deal with it and how to begin to get some semblance of a new normal.”
The same holds true in Atlantic City. While no pro teams call the resort home, AC is just a short drive from Philadelphia, as rabid a sports region as any.
The return of sports “would signify some type of new normal for everyone,” Steve Callender, president of the Casino Association of New Jersey, told GGB News. “The Atlantic City casino industry always saw an increase in gaming and non-gaming revenue whenever the Eagles played, regardless of the day.”
It would certainly be best if fans could attend games, but at the very least, people could watch at home, Callender said. Logan, however, wants no part of games without spectators, and neither do his players. “It makes no sense to play without fans,” he said. As for social distancing, “You have the umpire, catcher and batter in close proximity.”
Testing team members for the virus before games won’t sit well with ballplayers either, he added.
Of course, the return of sports goes beyond restoring a sense of normalcy. It means something to bet on, whether online or at a retail sportsbook. “Casinos have invested millions of dollars into building world-class sportsbooks,” Callender said. “Last year, the gaming industry pushed new and innovative programming to their respective sportsbooks to enhance trips and the overall sports betting experience,” only to see the doors slam shut.
The industry would love to see the NBA finish its season, Callender said, even if teams went straight to the playoffs—“and especially if the playoffs were in Atlantic City.”
If Major League Baseball can kick off its 2020 baseball season—even if that season is shortened—it could help Americans feel like things are getting back to normal, and the NFL would complete the cycle. While the NFL Draft in Las Vegas was a casualty—it starts today, but without all the attendant hoopla—a return of pro football would be an even bigger boost, especially in Vegas, because this will be the Raiders’ inaugural season in town.
“Fans watch because of the love of the game, or the time they share with family and friends, experiencing the ups and downs of winning and losing with their teams,” Callender said. “Sports provide a sense of stability for generations who’ve supported their teams, purchased players’ jerseys, sat in the stands and cheered or watched from their favorite sports bar.”
As it stands right now, we can only wait and hope for players to suit up and hit the field.
“It will be a challenging year ahead,” said Lori Nelson-Kraft, senior vice president of communications and government affairs for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “There are still many unknowns regarding when we’ll be able to resume large gatherings inside event venues, and what will be required to safely do so.”
