Antonio Pierce wants the Raiders to be the greatest show in Las Vegas, ‘the sports mecca of the world’
Once upon a time — not too long ago — an NFL team in Las Vegas seemed unfathomable. Now, after Las Vegas hosted Super Bowl LVIII, it’s more clear than ever that the NFL belongs in the Entertainment Capital of the World.
Of course, the Raiders have proved that already. Since they moved to Las Vegas in 2020, demand for tickets at Allegiant Stadium has been consistently high.
But that demand is largely driven by visiting fans. The NFL in Las Vegas is thriving as the Raiders struggle to build a winning program. It stands to reason that if the Raiders can build a dominant franchise once again, it would make for a show never before seen by the NFL or perhaps any other sports league in history.
Raiders coach Antonio Pierce understands this. He told “The Pivot” podcast that he has a “unique” opportunity to make the Raiders winners once again in Las Vegas, which NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has called “Sports Town USA.”
“I think the most unique part would be doing it in the sports mecca of the world now,” Pierce said after being asked what it would mean to bring prestige back to the Raiders. “Vegas is that now. I mean, the show is here. I told our guys, ‘We need to become the greatest show that everybody wants to come to Vegas and watch.’ ”
In addition to Raiders fans from around the world, both old and new, wanting to visit Las Vegas to watch their team, Las Vegas locals have shown they’re more than willing to fervently support a winning franchise. The NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights have sold out every home game since their inception.
But honestly, nobody knows what a dominant NFL team in Las Vegas would be like. It’s never been done, but it figures to be awesome in the realest sense of the word. Pierce truly has a unique opportunity to create a spectacle that Las Vegas hasn’t seen in its fabulous, neon-colored history.
All the ingredients are there: the most popular sport in the U.S., the Entertainment Capital of the World and one of the greatest sports franchises in history. All that’s left to do is Just Win, Baby.
