Introduction The American pro sports scene has never been healthier, if you consider soccer s increased credibility and coverage in the recent past. This has firmly placed the world game alongside football, baseball, basketball and ice hockey among America s Top Four, or Five for that matter. Baseball may have been struggling among the 15-49 crowd, the NFL may have had some PR disasters in the past year, but TV contracts are bringing in an ever-increasing amount of money while spreading live games throughout the week. This allows armchair fans to experience the beauty, competitiveness and all-around entertainment those leagues provide, day in and day out, while helping franchises think up several inventive ticket packages in order to fill the stands with fans who do not want to miss out on the real thing, watching a sporting event on location. Considering the growth of the metropolitan area, the hotel capacity and the increasing variety of services for residents and visitors, Las Vegas and Clark County have become natural destinations for major franchises in each of the aforementioned top five sports, including soccer, which, of course, is at the core of the HEROES project. 1 The Fusion Project
Sports in Las Vegas The FUSION Group s long-term plan involves bringing one or more big-league franchises to Las Vegas and making them part of the project by making its world-class facilities and structures available to prospective franchises and their fans, while providing a safe, environmentally-friendly, exciting and forward-looking context. There are several encouraging factors in determining that a franchise of one of the USA s Top Four professional leagues would be successful in Las Vegas, and most of them would be on top of the outstanding facilities and expertise the FUSION Group can provide: year-round great weather access to world-class entertainment venues easy access to other parts of the country via Las Vegas International Airport 2 The Fusion Project
being such a central part of the USA s entertainment and sports system, Las Vegas would provide a permanent home, year-round for most athletes under contract with the local pro teams. It s been long known several pro basketball players spend their off-season in places like Atlanta or Houston, which provide good standards of living and high-quality training and personal development facilities. Las Vegas would top all of those other destinations from a lifestyle standpoint, with the additional incentive of being able to train and practice in a world-class environment. Player availability during the off-season would also provide pro teams with the opportunity to involve them more in longterm community activities and spread the word that they actually care about the place they work, and live, in. What happens in Vegas would, definitely, not stay in Vegas, on this matter. As we all know, Las Vegas has long been looked at with a skeptical eye by professional sports leagues because of its ties with gambling and a past association with mob activities, but more and more events are being held in Vegas and the place is still the first US destination one thinks of when a big event comes up, especially in boxing. One of the FUSION Group s goals is to lead by example and conduct such a clean, eco-friendly, forward-looking operation that all doubts about the location and all worries about its past reputation would be swept aside. 3 The Fusion Project
PHASE ONE - NFL The league enjoyed another great season in 2014, numbers-wise. Despite a slate of much-publicized instances of misbehavior by a small number of players, which caused the NFL to suspend them after some controversy, and created a PR nightmare many thought the league would suffer from, once again NFL games topped each and every TV viewing chart. According to the Nielsen Company, NFL games accounted for the top 20, and 45 of the 50 most-watched TV shows among all programming last fall, and Super Bowl XLIX set a new record with 161.3 million viewers, the most-watched program in American TV history. In fact, Super Bowls account for the 24 most-watched programs in American TV history in terms of total audience. The Super Bowl set other records: NFL digital properties saw more than 21 million visits. Nearly four million people watched live streaming video of Super Bowl XLIX on digital platforms between NBC Sports Live Extra (2.5 million 4 The Fusion Project
viewers) and NFL Mobile from Verizon (1.2 million viewers). The 1.2 million viewers on NFL Mobile from Verizon were up 224% from Super Bowl XLVIII. Overall, NFL Mobile from Verizon visitors jumped to 3.3 million on Super Bowl Sunday and have tripled since 2012. A total of 17.36 million fans attended NFL games during the 2014 regular season. The league average attendance per regular season game stood at 68,331 for the 2014 season. Having an NFL franchise can only be beneficial, long-term, to a city. The presence of a newly-built stadium with the right specifications may also lead the relevant NFL Committee to assign a Super Bowl to the area, a policy that has consistently been applied by the NFL. Two of the next three Super Bowls will be played in stadiums that have either been opened less than a year ago (Levi s Stadium, Santa Clara, California, in 2016) or are going to open in a few 5 The Fusion Project
months (New Minnesota Vikings Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2018). There is no need to mention that a Super Bowl in Las Vegas would be something unprecedented, perhaps in all of sport. The current debate centers on some franchises who have experienced lengthy disputes with their local authorities over the existing stadiums, and have actively sought a move to other cities which may offer them more favorable terms in subsidizing the building of a new stadium. Opposition to the use of public funds and tax breaks from advocacy groups and politicians has sometimes scuttled plans to build a new stadium, but the situation is changing by the day and there does seem to be a vacuum where the FUSION Group can step in and make a move. - Two Western franchises, The Oakland Raiders and the San Diego Chargers, have announced plans to jointly build a new stadium in Carson, California, and share it starting with the 2018 NFL season. - The City of Inglewood, California, which is part of south-central Los Angeles, has agreed to plans by the St. Louis Rams owner, Stan Kroenke, to build a football stadium which would then be the new home of the Rams. No further announcement has been made on the matter since the early March approval by the Inglewood city council while, in the meantime, plans have been revealed for a new, riverside stadium in St. Louis, aimed at keeping the Rams in town. The Rams have been unhappy with Edward Jones Dome, which has grown obsolete just 19 years after it was opened. Proposals for a renovation have been scuttled and Kroenke, who rarely speaks on record, has been known to be keen to move for some time, despite his family s ties to Missouri. The Chargers have been on a year-by-year situation in San Diego, where their lease of Qualcomm Stadium, an out-of-town facility built in 1967 and renovated in 1997, has often been at the center of the local political agenda. The San Diego Padres, the local MLB franchise, managed to talk local agencies into contributing funds towards the construction of their current home, Petco Park, located in a revitalized area of central San Diego, but the official opening was put off by two full seasons when courts nullified the results of a ballot that had 6 The Fusion Project
already approved the use of city funds. Another situation worth keeping an eye on is in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars have struggled selling tickets and have had to block out a section of the upper tier for home games, so as to not become a victim of the NFL s TV blackout rule. The team signed a four-year contract to play one home game each season in London, a decision which has not alienated the fan base as much as it would have somewhere else (think Green Bay would agree to give up one home game each year?). Owner Shahid Khan is also the majority partner in Fulham Football Club, currently playing in the English football s second tier after a long run in the Premier League. It may suit his interests to have his NFL franchise join the Cottagers once a year, but the Jaguars have been part of every conversation about franchises moving - even to London, permanently - in the past five years, although renovations at Alltel Stadium in the past 12 months may indicate their short-term aim would be to stay put. While this situation may all be difficult to read at this point, a suggestion was made that at the end of this debate the Rams would actually move west to Inglewood, while the Raiders - who spent 12 years in Los Angeles, from 1982-7 The Fusion Project
94, before returning north to their spiritual home in Oakland, in the now dilapidated O.Com Coliseum, may shift to St.Louis. This is where Las Vegas could fit in, at last. The XFL, a spring alternative to the NFL, which tried to establish itself in 2001, fielded a team in Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Outlaws, which played in a traditional horseshoe stadium, the Las Vegas Stadium/Boyd Stadium in Whitney. And, although it was not for the shape or the state of the stadiums that the XFL failed, a setting like Heroes Hill would blow away NFL officials and visitors alike and set a standard for all of the NFL, where even innovative stadiums follow a pattern that give observers a sense of deja-vu. Not to mention the fact that the Las Vegas Outlaws preyed on a pejorative noun that further blighted the city s reputation, complete with a player, Rod Smart, who went by the nickname - printed on the back of the shirt - He Hate Me and thrived on that concept, which played off the city s past and did not contribute one iota to its progress. None of this would happen to an NFL franchise playing at Heroes Hill. A franchise at the new stadium would enjoy greater publicity and renown than anywhere else. 8 The Fusion Project
The beautiful surroundings, the facilities, the made-for-tv scenery for aerial shots at night, can all contribute to making an NFL franchise in town a success, at last, and further dispel the notion Las Vegas is not a suitable venue for an NFL franchise. Whether it s the St. Louis Rams, the San Diego Chargers, or the Oakland Raiders - either team would thrive in the Las Vegas environment and would find an increasing Hispanic fan base, just as the one they currently enjoy in Oakland - or even the Jacksonville Jaguars. It s hard to imagine anything as glamorous and exciting as an NFL franchise in Las Vegas, which would also attract free agent players for the great weather and the outstanding facilities provided by Heroes Hill. The whole FUSION project was born out of putting a dreamy idea into words, action and deeds, and having a NFL share the visionary Heroes Hill complex and facilities, providing locals and visitors with top-class, clean entertainment and good role models, which would represent another step towards the promised land of sports. 9 The Fusion Project
PHASE TWO - NBA When the NBA finally relented on its policy of staying away from gambling-related venues and held the 2007 All-Star Game in Las Vegas, it was the most celebrated edition in recent times. A few off-court problems, related to an extraordinary concentration of VIPs, would-be VIPs, hangers on and entourages in town, left a bad impression, but overall the weekend was a resounding success. Current Commissioner, Adam Silver, was Deputy Commissioner to David Stern at the time, and has gone on record as saying: While we have no plans to expand, Las Vegas continues to be a great host for our summer league, which may be encouraging after all, as the NBA seems to be keeping a foot in the door while waiting for the right time, as he may already know where the right place is. 10 The Fusion Project
Already familiar to - and popular with - NBA executives, players and staff, because of the Summer League hosted by UNLV s Cox Pavilion, Las Vegas could easily take the next step and become a permanent stop on the NBA schedule, adding home games to the marquees the city is already known for worldwide. In addition to these basic strengths, an arena in the Heroes Hill complex would represent an upgrade to the Thomas & Mack Center, where the All-Star Game was played. The T&M holds 18,778 in a basketball configuration and has hosted several conference tournaments, but would not compare to a newly-built arena with all the modern amenities catering to the regular and the VIP fan. NBA players hold a special place in pop culture and the public s consideration because of the sport s obsession with superstar players and a culture of isolation plays for superstar players. Having an NBA team in town would benefit all parties, as training camp usually starts in late September and the regular season ends in mid-april. Despite competition for the entertainment dollar in Vegas, the appeal of both a local team and superstar visitors would be strong enough to win consistent local and visiting fans. 11 The Fusion Project
It is, however, difficult at this point to imagine which franchise would be available to move. According to many insiders, the NBA - not alone among professional sports leagues - has already overextended itself by expanding to cities that have not been able to show consistent support at the box office. Adding another team seems out of question right now, and with the Sacramento Kings having found some degree of stability in the past couple of years from an ownership standpoint, there are no viable candidates for a move, unless the Michael Jordan-owned Charlotte Hornets continue to underperform on the court and in attendance. The NBA took steps to ensure ownership of the New Orleans Pelicans would be in good hands, as the league first purchased the franchise from owner, George Shinn, in December 2010 before selling it to New Orleans Saints owner, Tom Benson, in April 2012. However, Mr. Benson s ill health and a dispute over control of his companies since early 2015 have changed the picture and there is a chance the Pelicans may again be available for a move, since the one from Charlotte in 2002. 12 The Fusion Project
As a member of the Western Conference, Southwest Division, by moving to Las Vegas, they would not even have to change divisions, enjoying a healthy regional rivalry with the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies. PHASE THREE - MLB Baseball culminates in the World Series, in late October, and starts training right before spring officially begins, but is truly a summer sport. And, is there a better place to watch and play baseball than Las Vegas? The Arizona Diamondbacks - World Series Champs in 2001, just six years after they started playing - have already proved mixing warm climates and baseball CAN be successful, despite their recent struggles on the diamond and in attendance figures, which had them fill just 54% of Chase Field on average. 13 The Fusion Project
Las Vegas, with its constant stream of visitors added to a fan base that might climb aboard the bandwagon of a MLB franchise, might actually represent a step forward from the D-Backs, and early first-pitch times would also help kickstart the entertainment day for many visitors, who could take in a game before heading to the Strip for more traditional shows. The MLB, just like all other established leagues, has not publicly indicated it may be ready for expansion, and the last occurrence of a new franchise starting play was in 2005, when the team formerly known as the Montreal Expos made its debut as Washington Nationals in the National League. But an eye is always kept toward possible ways of expanding business, and with support 14 The Fusion Project
among the youngest age bracket diminishing, the MLB may soon be looking at ways to improve its catchment area in all aspects. While not a priority at this time, having a MLB franchise play on campus would represent another step forward both for the project and the sport at all levels, as new avenues for development would open up to young players willing to emulate their Major League Heroes and train in one of the outstanding facilities set to be built on site. THE COLLEGE FRONT The University of Nevada-Las Vegas obviously leads the way as far as the place of local colleges in the national picture is concerned. Former coach, Jerry Tarkanian, the iconic, towel-chewing sideline commander, who cut straight to the core of matters and endured a loving relationship with his players during UNLV s run to the National Championship in 1990, amid accusations of less than savory relationships with a well-known local gambler and match-fixer, set the tone for Rebel basketball after being hired more than 40 years ago. When he passed away, in February 2015, he was honored like few others have been in Las Vegas, as all lights on The Strip were dimmed one night, in remembrance. 15 The Fusion Project
Far removed from the glory days of the late eighties-early nineties, when UNLV and its brand of brash, adventurous, in-your-face basketball sparked a near-hysteria throughout the nation, the current basketball program has nevertheless kept a good profile, and has been in the NCAA Tournament six times since 2007, after going through a lean spell of just three appearances between 1991-2006. The Rebels play at the aforementioned Thomas & Mack Center, and also practice at the Cox Pavilion: both facilities are on campus, but should an arena be built in the Heroes Hill campus, it would represent an improvement and upgrade on all existing facilities. Establishing a good relationship with UNLV, exposing its athletic programs to a bigger audience by conveying its message of leadership, education, science and advancement through the Web TV, opening up to hundreds of potential students among kids attending camps and seminars, would all benefit both UNLV and the FUSION Group s vision of an integrated, forward-moving enterprise devoted to shaping future generations of students, athletes, and persons. Sports in Las Vegas Concept developed by Roberto Gotta UNLV rebels men s soccer 16 The Fusion Project