Golden Knights Put ‘Vegas Strong’ on Boards in Lieu of Ads for Home Opener

When the Vegas Golden Knights take the ice for their first regular season home game on Tuesday night, they’ll be surrounded by messages of solidarity for their home city.
Instead of advertisements, the boards for the home opener against the Coyotes will feature the phrase “Vegas Strong,” a common refrain in the city after the deadly mass shooting there last week.
“It’s going to be a moving experience,” owner Bill Foley told NHL.com. “There’s going to be a lot of tears shed.”
There won't be any advertisements on the boards tonight. Instead, our boards will reflect who we are. #VegasStrong pic.twitter.com/29pL7wmMwJ
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 10, 2017
This will be the Golden Knights’ first home game since Stephen Paddock killed 58 people and injured hundreds more during a music festival on the Las Vegas Strip. They had a preseason game at home hours before the shooting and then began their regular season on the road.
The arena is beefing up security for the game as a precautionary measure. The team is planning a pregame ceremony to honor the victims and celebrate the efforts of first responders, and will also hold a moment of silence before puck drop.
The game begins at 10:30 p.m. ET and will be televised nationally on NBCSN.

Dan Gartland writes Sports Illustrated’s flagship daily newsletter, SI:AM, and is the host of the “Stadium Wonders” video series. He joined the SI staff in 2014, having previously been published on Deadspin and Slate. Gartland, a graduate of Fordham University, is a former Sports Jeopardy! champion (Season 1, Episode 5).