NBA Governors to Vote Soon on Las Vegas Expansion Team
Posted on: March 16, 2026, 09:59h.
Last updated on: March 16, 2026, 10:03h.
- NBA governors will vote next week on launching formal expansion bids for Las Vegas and Seattle
- The projected $7–10 billion franchise valuations fuel momentum, though owners remain cautious about dilution
- The Oak View Group is now evaluating alternative sites after halting plans for to build five miles south of the Strip
The NBA Board of Governors is set to vote next week on whether to formally explore adding new franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle, according to ESPN. The vote, slated for the board’s March 24-25 meeting, represents its most significant step toward expansion in more than two decades.
A yes vote would authorize the league to begin a structured bidding process focused exclusively on those two markets, with the goal of bringing both teams into the league for the 2028–29 season.
Momentum for expansion has been building inside the league office and among a growing bloc of team owners. Industry projections estimate that bids for each franchise could land in the $7–10 billion range — a dramatic escalation from recent franchise sales and a reflection of the commercial strength of both markets.
Analysts expect that Las Vegas and Seattle would immediately rank among the NBA’s top eight revenue generators, aided by strong local economies, modern arenas, and the league’s parity‑oriented collective bargaining agreement.
One More Hoop to Jump Through
Next week’s vote is the first of two required steps. If approved, the league would start accepting formal bids, followed by a second vote later in the year to finalize expansion to 32 teams. As with all major league actions, approval requires 23 of 30 governors in each round.
While many owners support expansion for its long‑term revenue upside, some remain cautious about dilution — their equity share would shift from 1/30 to 1/32 — and want to see final valuations before committing.
Las Vegas and Seattle both offer compelling precedents. Las Vegas has rapidly become a major league sports hub, adding the NHL’s Golden Knights in 2017 and the NFL’s Raiders three years later. According to disputed reports, the MLB’s Athletics are on track to start the 2028 baseball season playing on the site of the former Tropicana.
The Strip is also home to the WNBA’s Aces, who have won three championships since relocating in 2018.
Commissioner Adam Silver has repeatedly said the league would make a final expansion decision this year. The NBA last expanded in 2004, when Charlotte rejoined the league, and is simultaneously evaluating bids for a future European division, with proposals due March 31, 2026.
If Las Vegas and Seattle are approved, league executives anticipate either Minnesota or Memphis shifting to the Eastern Conference to balance the alignment at 16 teams per side.
Where the Team Would Play
In 2024, the Oak View Group (OVG) — the deep-pocketed, Denver-based company long considered the most likely developer of an NBA arena in Vegas — abandoned its $10 billion plans to build one five miles south of the Strip on Las Vegas Boulevard and Blue Diamond Road due to a financial dispute with the Florida-based land owners.
Since then, OVG is thought to have dribbled over to the Rio, where Vital Vegas reported it was “kicking the tires” on 22 excess acres of land there.
Just last Thursday, however, Resorts World president and CFO Carlos Castro reportedly told the Nevada Gaming Control Board that 46 excess acres at his resort made it “the prime spot for an arena down the road.”
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