Las Vegas is only the 40th-largest market in the U.S. and the second smallest in the NHL, which means the Golden Knights must be “community-focused and building partnerships with local companies” Getty Images
The Golden Knights at “nearly 200 partnerships” have the “most sponsorship deals of any professional sports team,” and the team benefits from “some unique factors … including the rapid growth of the city and its sports scene, its space in state-of-the-art T-Mobile Arena and more,” according to Katie McCarver of the LAS VEGAS SUN. Golden Knights SVP/Global Partnerships Keith Baulsir said, “We’ve tried to be creative and be very flexible. … We love having a variety of partners, maybe two or three in a certain vertical or category — where, in a bigger market, you might only have one big exclusive partner.” McCarver notes Las Vegas is only the 40th-largest market in the U.S. and the second smallest in the NHL, which means the Golden Knights must be “community-focused and building partnerships with local companies.” In addition to big brands like MGM Resorts International, Toyota and Anheuser-Busch, the Golden Knights also partners with Las Vegas-based Green Valley Grocery, Lee’s Discount Liquor, Pinkbox Doughnuts and dozens of others. More than 40% of Golden Knights sponsors are based in Las Vegas, a number that is only 28% of the Raiders sponsorship makeup. Smaller companies “may not be able to afford sponsorship in the sports realm in other markets or even with other teams in Las Vegas.” Baulsir said that is “not the case for the Golden Knights’ local partners,” as the team’s entry point is “lower than any other hockey teams” (LAS VEGAS SUN, 10/14).
