Las Vegas in recent years has made a statement in sport, marketing itself as a sports destination. It’s certainly put in place the sports franchises and events to back it up. This week alone it has been announced that LIV Golf and the PGA Tour will come together for a made-for-TV golf match-up in Vegas featuring Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka which will take place in December.
It’s been quite the turnaround for a city that had no sports franchises playing in any of America’s top leagues just a decade ago. It now has the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL, the Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL, The Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA and the Oakland Athletics will be moving to Las Vegas in 2028 in the MLB. Las Vegas is also hotly tipped to get an NBA team in the not too distant future. Add to that regular NASCAR, boxing, UFC and college sports events plus the addition of an F1 race that is simply a showstopper, it’s fair to say Las Vegas has experienced quite a shift into the sports market.
Having witnessed the city’s newfound love for sport from afar, in March 2024 I took a gamble and headed over to Sin City to see for myself if Las Vegas is the ultimate destination for sports fans.
The ultimate destination for sports fans, welcome to Las Vegas
Keen to give myself the best odds of enjoying a weekend of sport in Vegas, I booked a visit during the weekend the city was hosting the first ever Netflix Slam event, the streamer’s first foray into live tennis. And another new sport to the city that Andre Agassi calls home.
The event pitted Rafa Nadal against Carlos Alcaraz in an exhibition streamed live to the world. And at this point I’d like to point out I made this commitment of flying over 20 hours there and back way before the two players cemented their ‘Nadalcaraz’ nickname and brought joy to millions during the Olympics, so having a ticket, I felt like I’d hit the jackpot from the off. (Enough of the gambling puns?)
It turned out the Netflix Slam was not the only sporting occasion happening in the city during my visit. On top of the Netflix Slam, NASCAR was taking over town and for the first time in history the Australian Rugby League season was kicking off outside of Australia, with matches being played at the Allegiant Stadium. That would explain my flight being packed to the rafters with Aussies.
Upon landing, the scale of Vegas is evident from the start. Simply due to the amount of time it takes to taxi from the runway to the airport gate, but with a window seat I was able to begin my sightseeing, even at 2am local time. First to catch my eye was the incredible sight of the newly opened Sphere, lit up, literally like a full moon that is passing Earth within a few miles. The Sphere is an extraordinary sight at night, and it takes some getting used to. I dread to think what the electricity bill is for the venue… although what they were charging for U2’s schedule of shows whilst I was in town may go some way to giving me an idea.
Other sightings of Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand make the slow approach to the gate pass by with interest. A new destination, within touching distance, just moments away. I was eager for the pilot to find a suitable parking space and let us off the aircraft. It was a Virgin Atlantic flight I took from London to Vegas, although you’d be excused for thinking you had mistakenly boarded Virgin Galactic at the sight of the Sphere out the window.
In what is beginning to sound like a Virgin holiday, (it wasn’t) my home whilst in Las Vegas was Virgin Hotels. It’s the former Hard Rock Hotel, but recently taken over by Virgin (although operated by Hilton) and I have to say it was delightful. During my visit it was ‘off-season’ for Vegas but it was still quieter than The Strip’s array of hotels. Set slightly back from The Strip, the hotel acts as more of an oasis within the mayhem with its vast pool areas, endless corridors servicing the thousands of rooms and a rather more relaxed lobby casino than what you may find at the more traditional tourist-centric casinos within the Bellagio, Mandalay Bay and other hotels that run along The Strip.
As dawn broke, and the jet lag kicked in, I was awake and ready to explore. It didn’t take long for Vegas’ new love of sport to be apparent. As I drew back the curtains in my room for my first sighting of the city in daylight, I’m greeted by the sight of the Las Vegas Grand Prix Pit Lane in the distance, just the other side of the hotel’s sprawling pool complex. The Pit Lane sits between the hotel and the famous Strip – so if you are heading over for the F1 in November, consider Virgin Hotels. It’s a great location for the Grand Prix.
A look at prices at Virgin Hotels shows rooms for £2,600 for three nights across the F1 weekend in 2024. Virgin Hotels Las Vegas plays a big part on race weekend with, I suspect many F1 events taking place within its gardens and teams staying at the hotel but you can get even better deals elsewhere – one of the great things about Las Vegas. The sheer scale of hotel rooms they have (the city has the most hotel rooms than any other city in the world, over 150,000) means you can always get a good deal somewhere. Vegas stalwarts such as Harrah’s, Excalibur and Luxor are all offering prices for three nights £500 or less for the same period. And a little tip... locals told me that during the F1 weekend in 2023, even if you didn't have a ticket, you could still see parts of the circuit around the city, so just to be there would be an experience.
On my walk towards The Strip, I pass Top Golf Las Vegas. Top Golf has taken off around the world as it combines the atmosphere you get when you go ten-pin bowling with the game of golf. The Las Vegas venue even has a swimming pool to enjoy within its 3 stories of ‘bays’ where you and your mates play the game from.
With Top Golf on your left as I walk westwards on East Harmon Street, it’s here where you will cross the entry to the Pit Lane for the Grand Prix. The huge Pit Lane garage complex and the start/finish straight of the Formula One circuit is to my right. Quiet and desolate today, without it’s branding and grandstands but on race weekend’s it’s the epicentre of a sporting spectacle. East Harmon Street is used as part of the street circuit that weaves around the city and the markings for Pit entry on the tarmac are visible as I walk across the road. I of course whispered to myself, ‘Box, Box, Box’.
I overruled team orders and carried on towards The Strip. I like to get my bearings in a new city as soon as I arrive, or first thing in the morning after a late arrival. I genuinely don’t think you can ever top that feeling you get when arriving somewhere new. The excitement of Vegas, even for a jet-lagged traveller was palpable.
The day was spent exploring, spotting famous locations, ‘popping’ into the Venetian for a quick nosy only to spend 30 minutes trying to find my way out and a little bit of culture… ‘What!? Culture in Vegas?’ I hear you say. Yes, the Neon Sign Museum. It’s rather good, actually. Most of the day was spent indoors as much as possible, high winds and sandstorms had hit the city. It was best to take shelter in the many sports bars, some of which are on a scale hard to contemplate.
That evening and bearing in mind I was visiting just a few months after Vegas held its first ever Formula One Grand Prix, I was delighted to see The Strip was once again shut down because of a motor race. This time, ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series meeting the next day, the traditional NASCAR parade was taking place along the famous road. It was a heck of a sight… team trucks passing by constantly for around 20 minutes, each of them beeping their horns and flashing their lights. It would have been a tremendous spectacle had it been taking place in any other city, in Vegas though, it seemed just normal within the usual buzz and bright lights.
The NASCAR Cup Series race was happening at the nearby Las Vegas Motor Speedway, over the coming weekend. Sadly, it was one sporting event I would have to miss, because the other sporting event I was attending the city for was on the same day. Oh, how Las Vegas has changed.
Once the NASCAR trucks had given way for normal traffic to resume, it was dinner at Mon Ami Gabi, a delightful French restaurant, situated underneath the Eiffel Tower, naturally and opposite the Bellagio with its fountains now taking centre stage once again after the intrusion of the NASCAR trucks. The food was brilliant, steak frites for me and the restaurant was French in every way. There’s a lot to be said for the quality of food in Vegas, it’s sublime.
After a day of exploring, eating and of course a little flutter at the Bellagio, it was time for a night’s sleep. Tomorrow is the reason I’m here.
The Netflix Slam delivers tennis to Vegas for the first time
The Netflix Slam was announced in November last year and I was ready to grab tickets as soon as they went on-sale. It was billed at £80 a ticket but once I was through the queue the cheapest was £180. Still, I’d come this far, so I booked. And now I’ve come either further and find myself enjoying breakfast excited at what the experience will provide.
The Netflix Slam exhibition match was being played at the Michelob ULTRA Arena, within Mandalay Bay between Spaniards Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz. Since buying the tickets in November, it has been a nervous wait to see if Rafa would even make it to the event given his recent injury woes. Thankfully he did, a big part of wanting to attend was to see Nadal one last time, albeit in an exhibition, worried his retirement announcement was imminent.
On arrival at Mandalay Bay, dropped off by a British taxi driver who moved to Vegas in the 1990’s, it was clear the Netflix Slam had taken inspiration from Wimbledon and developed a queue that was so long, it would have been a good idea to camp overnight to be at the front. It did provide us with a good tour of the hotel though as we were directed through all sorts of areas from the casino floor, ballrooms, lobbies and more. The queue was so long, we missed the start of the festivities on court which saw players such as Frances Tiafoe taking part in challenges… I think anyway. I missed it.
The Michelob ULTRA Arena is home to the Las Vegas Aces, the city’s WNBA team, and it’s a great compact venue that holds its atmosphere well. The atmosphere was given a little sparkle too with famous faces such as Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones in attendance and easily noticeable on the front row just to the left of the Umpire’s Chair… they must have been quicker than me on the ticketing portal when buying tickets as that area had sold out when I logged in. Although I have to say, I’ve never been a huge fan of seats close to the court and behind the Umpire’s Chair on either side. The chair completely blocks your view of half of the court. Michael and Catherine seemed happy however.
It may have been an exhibition, but these two players played hard. It was great to see. The master and the apprentice… if we can even call Alcaraz an apprentice these days. Within the match there were scintillating shots, laughs, roars of appreciation as well as the odd hiccup such as the match commentators bizarrely (and completely unconventionally in tennis) talking through the points, and because the commentary area was in an open space within the arena, when the crowd fell silent, you could hear them quite noticeably, as could the players. The Umpire had to tell them to be quiet at one point.
The match lasted no more than two hours with each player taking a set each before it was decided on a 10-point deciding set. Alcaraz came out on top and lifted the first ever Netflix Slam trophy in front of an adoring crowd. After the trophy lift, Netflix bosses spoke to the crowd and the TV audience to say the event will be back next year… it’s yet to be announced if it will be Vegas again, but if it is, we can add tennis as another one of the city’s ever growing sporting highlights.
Nadal pulled out of the Indian Wells tournament the next day… Thanks Rafa for keeping your commitment to Vegas. It was a pleasure to see you.
Later that night, whilst walking towards the Bellagio, Carlos Alcaraz walked past. I couldn’t resist a hello, having interviewed him at various events around the world. We chatted for a moment whilst cameras rolled around him. I believe the cameras were filming his Netflix special, which is following him through 2024. It’ll be quite the watch. French Open Champion, Wimbledon Champion, the Olympic journey with Rafa Nadal in the doubles as well as the low moments including his US Open exit and of course his Olympic singles final loss to Novak Djokovic. I’m eagerly awaiting to see if my cameo will make the cut.
Vegas is pulling out all the stops on my sporting exploration of the city. NASCAR one night, tennis the next and now Alcaraz casually walking around the city’s streets. Tomorrow should be equally as impressive.
It's a shame the Allegiant Stadium won't be part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup
A new day, clear skies and the high winds of the previous days has settled. The perfect setting to spend two hours within one of the world’s newest and greatest sports venues. A state-of-the-art multi-purpose stadium that is home to the Las Vegas Raiders, the city’s new NFL franchise after the team moved from Oakland.
Boy, do the US do stadiums well. The closest we have in the UK is the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium which explains why on the tour of the stadium I took; they mentioned Tottenham on a number of occasions. Of course, Tottenham does not have the roof element, and a feature I’m growing increasingly keen to see in UK stadiums, a level in the upper tiers that is entirely standing with food and drinks outlets dotted around. The 65,000-capacity venue opened in 2020 at the cost of $1.9 billion.
Just a few weeks before my visit, the stadium had hosted the Super Bowl in which the Kansas City Chiefs won their fourth title. The stadium tour cost around $60 and sees you taken through all of the main areas of the stadium that you’d want to see. The owner’s suite, the locker rooms (complete with a seriously impressive hologram element), the Flight Deck, hospitality areas, media zones and of course the obligatory pitch side visit. (On certain days the pitch side visit is not allowed - you’ll be notified if that’s the case at the time of booking.) At one end of the stadium in the lower tier we were even shown an area that is essentially a nightclub complete with seating booths, DJ booths and dance floors. I marvelled at it, trying to imagine going to a sporting event and watching the action whilst going clubbing. That's one aspect I can't see translating too well into UK stadiums.
The tour guide was as you would expect in the US, let alone Vegas. Lots of chants encouraging the group of visitors to break into a chorus of ‘Raiders, Raiders, Raiders!’. I just can’t bring myself to imagine such a thing happening around the Premier League’s stadium tours. John, our guide was everything you would want on a tour though; passionate, knowledgeable, and slick. The tour of course ends at the Stadium’s Club Store. I have to say, being a Newcastle United fan, I like the Raider’s colours of black, white & silver and whilst taking the tour I started to wonder if a stadium like this would ever be possible as Newcastle United’s new home within the city centre. If that should happen, I would expect the stadium tour guides take inspiration and shout out “Toon Toon” during the tour only for the guests to reply with “Black & White Army”.
When the USA hosts the FIFA World Cup in 2026, it's a shame Las Vegas and the Allegiant Stadium won’t be one of the host venues. The Allegiant Stadium’s field dimensions don’t meet the requirements set by FIFA, which is a disappointment, and quite a mishap by the designers of the stadium – especially as when it was being built the World Cup was on the horizon.
The stadium did host games during 2024’s Copa America, including the Quarter Finals so it clearly is able to host football matches. It’s a missed opportunity for the city for sure. Las Vegas and a World Cup, can you imagine?
A side note, the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles – the world’s most expensive stadium ever built – is also having this issue with field size. It had been tipped to host the Final.
After the visit to the Allegiant Stadium it was one last foray onto the Strip and a drink at a sports bar rooftop, next door to Bon Ami Gabi. A vast rooftop where if you grab a perch by the rail you can literally watch the mayhem of life on the Strip below pass by all day long. It also has a decent view of the Bellagio fountains. Eataly was the location for diner afterwards. The Italian food marketplace that can be found in many cities around the world… yet somehow in Vegas, it actually feels like Italy. After food, come outside from the Park MGM (where Eataly is) and along the Strip to the right you’ll find a tremendous Irish bar set on the street as part of the New York New York complex which is thoroughly enjoyable.
That night it was time to return home to the UK. I'd love you to comment below with your experiences of Las Vegas, things you loved doing but most importantly, what sports events did you attend whilst there?
I loved my time in Las Vegas. Just on one weekend, the city's new found passion for sport was clear as day. It is a brilliant sports destination for sports fans even to just experience the once. Although with its ever growing sports roster, there are more and more reasons to visit on multiple occasions nowadays. One last place of note, I stumbled across a sports bar called Tom’s Watch Bar. Ah now, I’m going to have to visit again. For the sport yes, but a pint in my own bar too? How can I say no?
Commentaires