Photos by Las Vegas News Bureau and Weekly Staff
From left, the Aces’ Kelsey Plum and A’ja Wilson, the Lights’ Joel Juiqui and Matt Thomas and the 51s’ Gavin Cecchini.
Friday, June 22, 2018 | 2 a.m.
The Vegas Golden Knights season is over. You’ve fallen in love with the team—and the local sports scene. So let’s keep the cheering going. There are three teams with games still to play this summer, and they’re all affordable and heavy on entertainment value.
LAS VEGAS ACES
Why go: Las Vegas has never had a professional basketball team at the highest level before, and the Aces are showing the city what it has been missing with a scoring style that turns every game into a fast-paced shootout. And the newly renovated Mandalay Bay Events Center is stuffed with pre- and in-game entertainment.
Who to watch: A’ja Wilson was the top pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft, while Kelsey Plum was the No. 1 selection in the 2017 draft. Both are high-ceiling young stars capable of making the Aces a leading WNBA contender in the near future.
Ticket prices: Single-game tickets start at $17.
Notable promotion: The team’s rabbit mascot, Buckets, might be scary to some children, but photo opportunities are plentiful.
Best concession: The Aces Dog, a bacon-wrapped, mesquite-smoked beef dog served in an herb-garlic buttered bun with Jack Daniels BBQ Sauce. It’s available at Libertine Social two hours before home games for the Aces tailgate.
Where: Mandalay Bay.
More info: aces.wnba.com
LAS VEGAS LIGHTS
Why go: It’s two hours before kickoff at Cashman Field for a Las Vegas Lights soccer game, but the party has already started. The Zappos Tailgate features food trucks; music; games; a chalk talk with Chelis, the Light’s charismatic technical director; and player autographs.
Who to watch: Joel Huiqui, a longtime Liga MX star and Mexican National Team veteran, is the team’s captain and unquestioned leader, anchoring a defense that has been stout so far this season. Charismatic goalkeeper Ricardo Ferriño plays with an aggressive style that has kept fans on the edge of their seats. The team also features a handful of players with local roots, delivering on owner Brett Lashbrook’s promise to include Las Vegas talent on the United Soccer League franchise’s lineup, including attacker Matt Thomas, a Palo Verde High School graduate who has become a fan favorite in 2018.
Tickets prices: Single-game tickets start at $15.
Notable promotion: The Zappos Llamas have become an attraction, whether for a photo opportunity prior to the game at the tailgate or helping lead players onto the field during pregame introductions.
Best concession: Soccer Ball Nachos—cheese, chili and your choice of chicken, beef or pork, served in a bowl the size of half of a soccer ball, for $15.
Where: Cashman Field.
More info: lasvegaslightsfc.com
LAS VEGAS 51s
Why go: The Triple-A baseball franchise, which arrived in 1983 and is the area’s longest-tenured club, has featured a who’s who of notable players over the years—Sandy Alomar Jr., John Kruk, Matt Kemp and Noah Syndergaard, to name a few. Quality players, from future stars pegged for the big leagues or major leaguers on a rehab assignment, give the 51s a quality product. Most important, nothing beats a day at the yard in the summer. Next season, it will get better when the franchise moves from its Downtown home to a new stadium in Summerlin.
Who to watch: Infielder Gavin Cecchini, who played in 36 games in the big leagues in 2016 and ‘17, is in his third season with the 51s and a fan-favorite..
Ticket prices: Reserved seats start at $12.
Notable promotion: Not only is Budweiser Dollar Beer Night the 51s most popular promotion, it’s arguably the most known game-day deals in Las Vegas sports. The line to get $1 beers in 8-ounce cups is always lengthy. Attendance on Dollar Beer Night also spikes.
Best concession: Anything on Mondays, when the Smith’s Value Menu offers $1 hot dogs, popcorn, peanuts, pretzels and churros.
Where: Cashman Field.
More info: milb.com/las-vegas
