The Las Vegas sports scene has changed immensely.
The Las Vegas Aces and the Golden Knights are already first-time champions, and the door is open for more. Then there’s the Raiders, who are close to making some playoff noise. Who will take home the gold next? Get ready; we’re predicting the future of Las Vegas sports.
1. The Las Vegas Aces will win Sin City’s next title
Looking into the future of Las Vegas sports, you gotta see more championship gold. The first domino that drops will probably be another championship by the Aces.
However, it’s foolish to think that this dynasty run will last forever. And neither will Becky Hammon’s time as Head Coach. She has already gotten a few offers from NBA teams and will eventually want to test those waters.
2. The Las Vegas Golden Knights will not repeat as Stanley Cup champs in 2024
On the other hand, the Golden Knights will face a much more difficult trudge back to the top. The NHL’s Pacific Division is packed with talent, and the playoff format doesn’t offer many easy paths. The fact that there are 82 games in the regular season will make it extremely cumbersome to repeat.
This doesn’t mean they aren’t going to be competitive, but it isn’t easy to go back-to-back in hockey. The last two teams to accomplish this are the Tampa Bay Lighting in 2020-2021 and the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2016 and 2017. The Golden Knights should win another championship in the next five years, however, with various trades and roster moves.
Related: How you can experience F1 on the streets of Las Vegas this fall!
3. A championship is going to take a while for the Las Vegas Raiders
Many people are probably wondering what the Raiders’ future looks like, and that’s not going to be easy to predict. While the Raiders look on the verge of a playoff spot with additions like Jimmy Garoppolo and Davantae Adams, the NFL is also a very competitive league. The Raiders are also in a pretty tough division.
Remember, the AFC West includes the Denver Broncos with Russel Wilson, the Kansas City Chiefs, and The Los Angeles Chargers. Wins aren’t going to come easy here, and neither are championships. It could be a good seven to ten years before the Raiders finally get that elusive Super Bowl.
4. Las Vegas Motor Speedway set to lose a date in the future?
The city also has Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where NASCAR holds two yearly events, but that could change. This is due to the combination of the Formula One Street race set to happen in November and the success of the Chicago Street race for NASCAR. Both seem to point to a Las Vegas street race for NASCAR in the near future.
Despite some fans and drivers wanting to move away from road course/street course races, others are enjoying the move to a broader mix of tracks. Between that and the massive audience NASCAR could warrant by doing a street race on the Strip, you would have to imagine them wanting to try that.
5. Kyle Busch retirement predictions
Another possible thing is the retirement of two-time NASCAR champion Kyle Busch in the next three years. Now, the Las Vegas native has expressed interest in waiting until his son, Brexton, can move to the Truck Series and running one last season with him. Whether that’s realistic, though, remains to be seen.
Realistically, you have to imagine him bowing out in the next four years or so. His 2023 performance is very good for a driver who just moved teams, but you can’t expect that to continue. There is a very apparent youth movement in NASCAR, and older drivers are losing seats.
6. The Athletics will be one of the most controversial teams in Las Vegas
The Athletics are already one of the most controversial organizations in sports, and their move to Las Vegas is not helping. The team has seemingly pitted Las Vegas against Oakland, but no one is going to come out the winner in this one.
To believe this team will suddenly start making big-money moves is ridiculous. John Fisher has made absurd promises like this in the past, leaving no reason why he wouldn’t continue. Don’t expect anything special out of the A’s until Fisher is gone or he suddenly has a realization. Until then, the Athletics will be the team in Vegas that no one wants to discuss.
7. An NBA Team is coming to Las Vegas by 2025
Finally, the city is creating an “NBA-ready” stadium that is reportedly ballooning in costs to $10 billion! That pretty much guarantees that an NBA team is going to be calling Sin City home in the next few years. As soon as this behemoth of the arena is built, one of the final missing pillars of Las Vegas sports will finally arrive.
The team is going to need good players, however, if they want to compete right off the bat. One possible name is Lebron James, who has been calling for a Sin City team for years. Another viable option is his son, Bronny James, but that depends on his health in the future. Before that incident, James expressed interest in playing with his son on whatever team he got drafted to. That might just be the right incentive to make Bronny their pick.
Next: 5 Las Vegas Aces who are responsible for the team’s current slide
