Brett Lashbrook, owner of the Las Vegas Lights Football Club, poses at Cashman Field Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017.
Tuesday, March 5, 2019 | 2 a.m.
Brett Lashbrook is labeling the soccer season, "Las Vegas Lights 2.0."
“Bigger, bolder and better,” the Lights’ CEO said of the franchise’s second season.
And with that boldness comes a Lashbrook prediction: The Lights, in their United Soccer League opener at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Cashman Field, will defeat Austin Bold FC. He’s so confident in a positive result that he’s willing to make it interesting.
If the Lights lose or draw, anyone in attendance receives a free ticket to the March 30 “Salute to Golden Knights Night” game, where the Lights will wear commemorative Golden Knights-inspired jerseys.
The Lights finished in third-to-last place out of 17 teams last season. But in the preseason, it’s been an improved club with a victory against Toronto of Major League Soccer and Orange County of the USL, which is one of the favorites to win the league.
“This is not the team of last year,” Lashbrook said.
New Lights coach Eric Wynalda, the national team legend, shares Lashbrook’s enthusiasm and says not only will the Lights beat Austin, they will also win the “whole damn thing.”
Austin is a safe opponent to make a "bold" prediction against. It, after all, is an expansion team.
If the Lights lose, fans will receive a voucher upon leaving the stadium with instructions for redeeming the ticket online, officials said.
