As the sporting footprint of Las Vegas, continues to grow, the NHL has underlined plans to hold the 2024 NHL Draft at Sphere in Las Vegas on June 28-29.
The decision was confirmed by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman this week during the NHL Board of Governors meeting, as he revealed they are ‘in a good place’ to finalise the move.
He also added that he believes the event as a whole will be ‘pretty dramatic’ as it looks to tap into an innovative fan experience with the Sphere.
The NHL will be the first sports entity to hold an event at Sphere, an 18,600-seat globe-like arena that has become renowned for its immersive video and audio technology, including a 16k resolution wraparound interior LED screen and outdoor LED displays.
“It will be the first sporting event in the Sphere and I think it’ll be a pretty-well viewed event both in terms of the draft itself and the viral use of the Sphere inside and outside using the globe,” Bettman said. “We think it’ll be fun. We think it’ll be dramatic and compelling.”
The Vegas Golden Knights will be “so delighted to be able to host the draft at Sphere,” President of Hockey Operations George McPhee commented.
He added: “Anyone you talk to says it is just out of this world. It’s just a fascinating and incredible opportunity. Holy cow, what a monumental moment in sports.”
This will likely be the final NHL draft to feature representatives from all 32 teams on the draft floor. Starting in 2025, the draft will be decentralised, with most team brass staying in their home markets so they can have access to their personnel in real time and teams can hold fan events.
Sphere is located just off the Las Vegas Strip, less than three miles from T-Mobile Arena, home of the Golden Knights.
CasinoBeats Breakdown: Sin City continues to be a hub for sporting events and the inclusion of the Sphere in the NHL’s plans only serves to elevate that status. As a Super Bowl in Vegas edges closer, the NHL draft serves as another key sporting landmark for the region, drawing tourists from all over the country to hotels and resorts in Vegas.
