The Vegas Golden Knights expand their reach in the desert

The Vegas Golden Knights announced they were expanding their broadcast outreach to the Phoenix and Tucson markets. This comes on the heels of the Arizona Coyotes moving to Salt Lake City and becoming the Utah Hockey Club. After nearly three decades of watching the Coyotes become a mishandled franchise, Arizona natives will tune in to see the Golden Knights in 55-broadcasted games.

We are thrilled to expand the Realm of fans who can watch our local broadcast and appreciate our partners at Scripps Sports for helping make this a reality. Having our games available for free over the air, or through KnightTime+, is a win for hockey fans in Arizona.

It's part of a strategic outreach plan implemented by Bill Foley and company to turn Vegas into a global brand. First, it was LosVGK, which hosted a fan fest for citizens of Mexico. That included hockey clinics and fan activations, broadening the outreach in Hispanic communities. It's a major reason the Golden Knights have grown as a hockey franchise.

When you've built a successful hockey franchise and have an ambitious owner spreading its influence, you're bound to have fans from across the globe. Currently, Foley's starting small, expanding into smaller markets like Boise, Idaho, and Montana. However, he's moving fast on his expansion efforts, making the team into the next big global brand.

What does Bill Foley and the Vegas Golden Knights have planned next?

Bill Foley and the Vegas Golden Knights are planning a youth ice hockey and ball hockey clinic in the Grand Canyon State. They're also hosting a VGK watch party on October 19 in Gilbert, Arizona, spreading the team's influence. It's part of celebrating the newest addition to the Golden Knights market, making them into a larger hockey influence.

But is that bad news for fans of the franchise formerly known as the Arizona Coyotes? Possibly. There are concerns that younger fans will forget about the Coyotes and cheer for the more successful Golden Knights. With expanded efforts to grow youth hockey in the metropolitan Phoenix area, it could damage any hope of building a sustainable fanbase.

However, the expanded efforts will also rekindle the love for hockey in Arizona. Yes, losing the Coyotes hurts. But there were constant stadium and ownership issues, where the team even went bankrupt. Gary Bettman is a businessman and a Commissioner, where he's intent on making money for the NHL.

Could there be hope for an Arizona Coyotes revival even with Vegas in town?

The growing influence of the Vegas Golden Knights shouldn't be seen as much of a deterrent for Arizona residents. While the Phoenix area lost the Arizona Coyotes, there will still be hockey for passionate fans to see. After all, Arizona would love to see their former team return to the desert.

But that's not the current reality we live in, as the Coyotes were set to fail from the start. It began with an arena meant for only NBA games with the Phoenix Suns and ended with a college hockey arena. Here's hoping the Grand Canyon State gets a fresh start with their beloved Coyotes in the future.

In the meantime, Bill Foley will continue his expansion efforts and grow the Golden Knights across the country. Who knows where they'll head next to grow their image? They could end up in Albuquerque with hockey clinics for the kids (not relocate them like the Springfield Isotopes). They could experience a full heel turn and take over Salt Lake City. Whatever the case, this is another step to make Las Vegas's NHL team a global phenomenon.