It only took decades too long, but the NCAA has finally come to its senses and rescinded its ban on gambling states hosting title events. The decision, which comes as the Las Vegas Raiders Stadium continues to rise from the desert floor on the south part of The Strip, means Las Vegas will now be open territory to host everything from basketball regionals to the Final Four to the BCS Championship.
Needless to say, the move will affect where title events will be held from here on out. As a travel-friendly tourist destination, Las Vegas looks to capitalize the most.
After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal statute restricting state-sponsored sports betting, the NCAA board of governors temporarily suspended the policy. The board voted to fully rescind the policy late last week, paving the way for Las Vegas to host some of the biggest collegiate events.
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The announcement opens the door for Sin City to finally join the ranks of NCAA championship host cities. Despite its success over the last 40 years, Vegas has never hosted an NCAA regional game while only hosting NIT games for basketball and conference title games in football. Still, none of them were the "big time" championships Vegas is seemingly built for.
UNLV will now join the long list of potential suitors.
“In working alongside local and regional leaders, we will put together attractive and competitive bids so that our UNLV student-athletes will now have a chance to compete in NCAA postseason events here at home,” said UNLV athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois.
With gambling universally acceptable thanks the recent Supreme Court ruling, the NCAA has softened its stance on Vegas. Now, a BCS game and, perhaps, an NCAA Basketball Final Four one day down the line.
“While the board stressed that an exemption of college sports in any federal or state legislation is desired, it emphasized that any proposed legislation should protect student-athlete well-being and the integrity of games,” the NCAA press release stated.
While this is the first step in continuing Las Vegas' shift into a "major league" sports town, there are still questions as to how the NCAA will use this new change in policy.
“Sports wagering can adversely impact student-athletes and undermine the games they play. We are committed to ensuring that laws and regulations promote a safe and fair environment for the nearly half a million students who play college athletics,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said.
“While we recognize the critical role of state governments, strong federal standards are necessary to safeguard the integrity of college sports and the athletes who play these games at all levels.”
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, "As soon as this summer, UNLV, Las Vegas Events and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority can jointly bid to host NCAA championships beginning with the 2022-23 academic year probably through 2026-2027. Such events would inject millions of dollars into the Las Vegas economy. One study said the 2017 Final Four had a $324 million impact on Phoenix."
