LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – The Aces brought home the first major professional sports championship trophy in Las Vegas, and UNLV sports management professor Nancy Lough said it is setting the tone for the future of Las Vegas sports.
“We’re looking at a legacy that is starting here in this city,” Lough said. “Now the [Golden] Knights and Raiders and all the other teams are on alert like, ‘hey, they won a championship, now it’s time to step up.'”
Lough said barriers like media coverage and sponsorship have held back women’s sports over the years, but that’s slowly changing in the WNBA. She said investments in the Aces by owner Mark Davis are getting others involved. An example is hiring Becky Hammon as the first WNBA coach to exceed a million dollar salary.
“I think the commitment that he made is something that really brought to the attention of the rest of the sports world and even the local community how seriously they should follow this team and commit to the Las Vegas Aces,” Lough said.
This week there were long lines for Aces merchandise. A petition began Thursday for the DMV to add an Aces tuition fund similar to that of the Golden Knights and Raiders.
Lough said the current team has a chance to become a dynasty, and that means more value to the Aces and Southern Nevada’s sports economy.
“We have an opportunity here to have an unprecedented level of fans,” Lough said. “The beauty of Las Vegas is that a lot of people identify with it, so I think the Aces fan base could have a national reach. Much bigger than our beautiful city.”
Lough thinks that could mean more visitors flying and driving specifically for Aces games.
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