For decades the major leagues kept their distance from Las Vegas. In less than ten years that flipped completely — and a casino town became one of the fastest-growing sports cities in America. Here's the history, every franchise playing now, and what's coming next.
A short history of the stigma that kept Las Vegas off the map.
Long before it had franchises, Las Vegas was already a sports destination — just built around events, not teams.
Boxing is where Las Vegas first earned the title "sports capital." The marriage of casino money, big-fight gambling and marquee venues — the outdoor arena at Caesars Palace, then the MGM Grand Garden and T-Mobile Arena — made the city the home of the sport's biggest championship nights.
The UFC isn't just hosted in Las Vegas — it's from there. In 2001 the promotion was bought by the Fertitta brothers, Las Vegas casino operators, alongside Dana White, and the company has been headquartered in the city ever since. Today the UFC Apex and the UFC Performance Institute sit in Vegas, big numbered cards fill T-Mobile Arena, and International Fight Week each summer turns the Strip into the center of the MMA world.
Racing in Vegas goes back further than most realise. Formula 1 first ran here in the early 1980s in a parking lot behind Caesars Palace — a quirky footnote — before the sport returned four decades later with a spectacular night race down the Strip itself. Meanwhile the Las Vegas Motor Speedway has hosted top-level stock-car and drag racing since the 1990s.
Easy to overlook, but one of the city's most reliable sporting institutions: the National Finals Rodeo has been held at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center every December since 1985 — the one exception was 2020, when the pandemic moved it to Arlington, Texas. For ten days it fills hotels and arenas and remains one of Las Vegas's biggest annual economic drivers.
The UNLV Runnin' Rebels gave the city its first national sporting glory, winning the NCAA basketball championship in 1990 under Jerry Tarkanian. The Thomas & Mack Center has since become neutral-court central — hosting conference tournaments, the NBA's Summer League every July, and, since the tournament's 2023 debut, the finals of the NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena.
The decade that turned Las Vegas into a big-league town.
The franchises and events still to land — from near-certain to proposed.
From the major leagues down to the thriving minor-league and lower-division scene.
| Team | League | Venue | In Vegas since | Honors / notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major leagues | ||||
| Vegas Golden Knights | NHL | T-Mobile Arena | 2017 | Stanley Cup champions 2023; Final in debut season |
| Las Vegas Raiders | NFL | Allegiant Stadium | 2020 | Relocated from Oakland; hosted Super Bowl LVIII (2024) |
| Las Vegas Aces | WNBA | Michelob ULTRA Arena, Mandalay Bay | 2018 | WNBA champions 2022, 2023 & 2025 |
| Athletics | MLB | New Strip ballpark (2028); Sacramento in interim | 2028* | Relocating from Oakland; $2B domed park under construction |
| Minor league & lower division | ||||
| Las Vegas Aviators | MiLB · AAA | Las Vegas Ballpark, Summerlin | 1983 | Triple-A affiliate of the Athletics; renamed Aviators and moved to Summerlin in 2019 |
| Henderson Silver Knights | AHL | Lee's Family Forum, Henderson | 2020 | Top minor-league affiliate of the Golden Knights |
| Las Vegas Lights FC | USL | Cashman Field | 2018 | Second-division professional soccer |
| Vegas Knight Hawks | IFL | Lee's Family Forum, Henderson | 2022 | Indoor Football League |
| Las Vegas Desert Dogs | NLL | Lee's Family Forum, Henderson | 2022 | Pro box lacrosse; first season 2022–23 |
| Vegas Thrill | MLV | Lee's Family Forum, Henderson | 2024 | Women's pro volleyball; sat out 2026 for an ownership change, returns January 2027 |
*The Athletics will play in Las Vegas from the planned 2028 opening of their Strip ballpark; until then the club plays home games in Sacramento. Venues and affiliations current as of October 2026.