 | ||||
| Full name | Las Vegas Lights Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | August 11, 2017; 8 years ago (2017-08-11) | |||
| Stadium | Cashman Field | |||
| Capacity | 9,334 | |||
| Principal owner | José Bautista | |||
| Head coach | Devin Rensing | |||
| League | USL Championship | |||
| 2024 | 4th, Western Conference Playoffs: Conference Finals | |||
| Website | lasvegaslightsfc.com | |||
 Current season | ||||
Las Vegas Lights Football Club is an American professionalsoccer team based inLas Vegas, Nevada, that plays in theUSL Championship. The team made its debut in 2018 and plays its home games atCashman Field.
The team employsneon imagery in its crest and jerseys. It has engaged in unusual promotions to attract fans, including the use ofllama mascots and rewarding players withcasino chips. The Lights are owned by an investment group led by formerMajor League Baseball playerJosé Bautista.
The first professional soccer team to be based in Las Vegas was theLas Vegas Quicksilvers of theNorth American Soccer League, who moved fromSan Diego after the 1976 season.[1] The team played atLas Vegas Stadium and had an average attendance of 7,092 during the 1977 season, but moved back to San Diego the following year.[2] TheLas Vegas Seagulls of theAmerican Soccer League briefly played at Las Vegas Stadium (by then the Las Vegas Silver Bowl) in 1979, but were terminated by the league after their first season due to financial issues.[3][4] The city also played host to the1994 FIFA World Cup draw in December 1993 and was considered several times for aMajor League Soccer (MLS) franchise, but was passed over by the league.[5][6]
The city hosted severalexhibition matches between club and national soccer teams during the early 2010s,[7] including a 2012World Football Challenge match betweenReal Madrid andSantos Laguna that drew a state-record attendance of 29,152 spectators.[8] An MLS expansion bid was explored in 2014, led by Findlay Sports and Entertainment and theCordish Company, proposing a 24,000-seat stadium atSymphony Park inDowntown Las Vegas.[9] The Las Vegas bid was rejected for further consideration by MLS in February 2015, putting an end to plans for the publicly financed downtown stadium.[10] Despite an attempted revival, the city declined to submit a proposal in time for the league's deadline for expansion bids in February 2017.[11]
In April 2017, Brett Lashbrook submitted a formal proposal to the Las Vegas City Manager to useCashman Field as the venue of a USL expansion team that would begin play in 2018.[12] TheLas Vegas City Council approved the Cashman Field lease in July, and the USL began planning for a formal announcement in mid-August.[13] On August 11, 2017, Las Vegas was formally announced as a USL expansion team that would join the league in 2018.[14][15] The team unveiled its official name, Las Vegas Lights FC, on August 29 and its official crest in late October.[16][17]
Chelís, a former MLS andLiga MX manager, was introduced as the team's head coach in November and promised to build a team that would entertain.[18] The Lights held their first scouting camps in December and signed several Mexican players using connections from Chelís.[19][20] In the inaugural preseason match, the team lost 2–0 to theMontreal Impact but attracted a sellout crowd of 10,387 people.[21] The signing of Mexican players caused a language barrier that hindered on-field chemistry during its preseason matches against MLS teams, losing all three, but the team's players worked through the language gap.[22] The team signed former MLS teenage prodigyFreddy Adu, who debuted in a preseason match against his first club,D.C. United.[23]
The team played their inaugural regular season match inFresno, California, on March 17, 2018, winning 3–2 overFresno FC.[24] In their first home regular season match, played on March 24, the Lights drew 1–1 with in-state rivalsReno 1868 FC in a match attended by 9,019 spectators.[25] In the2018 U.S. Open Cup, the Lights defeatedFC Tucson and advanced to the third round, where they lost toFC Golden State Force.[26] The club went on a long winless streak in August and September that eliminated the Lights from qualifying for the USL Playoffs.[27] Chelis announced his departure from the club on September 18, following poor performances and an eight-match suspension for misconduct involving a spectator.[28] Las Vegas concluded the season with 8 wins, 19 losses, and 7 draws, and managerIsidro Sánchez was fired on October 14.[29] Former U.S. player andAtlanta Silverbacks coachEric Wynalda was hired as manager and technical director on October 17.[30]
On March 12, 2021, Las Vegas Lights FC announced an affiliation partnership withLos Angeles FC (LAFC) ofMajor League Soccer. Under the one-year partnership, Las Vegas became the USL affiliate of LAFC and shared technical staff, including new managerSteve Cherundolo, a former U.S. national team player.[31][32] In 2022, the affiliation was extended for another season.[33] The team finished last in the Western Conference during the 2021 season.[34] Cherundolo departed to become head coach of Los Angeles FC and was replaced in Las Vegas by assistantEnrique Duran in February 2022.[35] Duran led the team to an improved finish within a point of earning a playoff berth.[34][36]
The affiliation agreement ended in 2023 with the establishment ofLos Angeles FC 2 inMLS Next Pro as part of a league initiative to create their own reserve league. Duran moved with the program, along with all existing players. The Lights hired Isidro Sánchez, who had been their head coach in 2018, and signed 25 new players during the offseason.[37] Lights FC finished with a 4–22–10 record in the 2023 season.Dennis Sanchez, a former assistant coach forAustin FC II, was hired as head coach of the club in January 2024.[38]
The Lights play their home matches atCashman Field, a stadium in Downtown Las Vegas that was primarily used for theLas Vegas 51s, a minor league baseball team from 1983 until 2018. It has 9,334 permanent seats and additional standing room capacity.[39] The configuration of Cashman Field is more suited for soccer than other former baseball parks. With center field at a right angle and all the foul territory behind first and third base at equal distance, the field is in a square shape and seats are close to the field for soccer.[40] Prior to the Lights, the stadium also hosted MLS preseason matches between theLA Galaxy andSan Jose Earthquakes in 2016 and 2017.[41] The Lights have a 15-year lease agreement with the city government to use Cashman Field, expiring in 2032.[6][42]
The Las Vegas 51s (renamed theLas Vegas Aviators) relocated to anew stadium inSummerlin in 2019, leaving the Lights as the sole tenant of Cashman Field.[42][43] The Lights began renovations to the locker rooms and stadium offices prior to the 2019 season, with further plans to make it a soccer-specific venue.[44] The city government also began exploring options for a larger soccer-specific stadium in downtown Las Vegas to accommodate an MLS expansion team.[45] Cashman Field was sold by the city government in March 2025; the team announced that they would stay at the stadium through the 2026 season, but would seek a new home venue.[46]
The team played two regular season games at Las Vegas Ballpark in October 2023.[47]
The Lights name was announced on August 29, 2017, after being decided in an online poll ahead of five other finalists, including Las Vegas FC, Las Vegas Silver, Club Vegas, Viva Vegas and Las Vegas Action. The name evokes theLas Vegas Strip and Downtown Las Vegas, where many buildings useneon lights and signage.[16] The neon imagery is also reflected in the club's crest, a rotated version of theWelcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign bordered byneon tubes. The crest also features text written in neon tubes, as well as a pink star. The team's colors, blue, yellow, and pink, were submitted by fans and are derived from the city's traditional seal.[17][48]
The club's inaugural jerseys were manufactured byBLK and included the logos of sponsorsZappos and Findlay Toyota.[49] The home jersey was designed by Zappos's art director and was primarily black with the team's color in neon trim. The underside had anemojismiley face covered inconfetti,[50][51] intended to be used ingoal celebrations when pulled up and over players' heads.[52][53][54] The away jersey was primarily white, with light blue and yellow accents and was unveiled with players donning abody painted replica.[55]
For the 2020 season, the Lights planned to have a set of 17 home jerseys—one for each home match—as part of a fan contest. They were all planned to retain the main color scheme of yellow, blue, and pink, and reflect local communities in Clark County.[56][57]
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 2018–2020 | BLK[49] | Zappos[49] |
| 2021 | Tigra | Findlay Toyota |
| 2022 | Meyba | Coin Cloud |
| 2023 | LiUNA! | |
| 2024 | Hummel | |
| 2025 | Silk Title |
The Lights were founded as Las Vegas Lights, LLC by Brett Lashbrook, a former consultant to USL and MLS clubs in Florida.[58] Lashbrook spent part of his childhood in the Las Vegas area and was part ofOrlando City SC during their transition from the USL to MLS and also worked for theTampa Bay Rowdies.[59][60] The team's vice president of corporate partnerships is Steve Pastorino, who worked with theChicago Fire andOakland Athletics as marketing director.[61]
The team's first head coach and technical director wasChelís, who left the club in September 2018 after earning a losing record and missing 12 matches due to a suspension.[28] His son and assistant coach,Isidro Sánchez, took over for the remainder of the inaugural season until his firing in October 2018.[29] Former U.S. national team player and television commentatorEric Wynalda was subsequently hired and led the Lights to an improved record but short of a playoff spot.[62] On June 17, 2020, Wynalda was fired by the Lights for an undisclosed violation of league rules during the USL's preparations to resume play amid theCOVID-19 pandemic.[63] Former MLS coachFrank Yallop was named as interim head coach later that month.[64]
In April 2018, the Lights became the first professional sports team in the United States to be sponsored by a licensedmarijuana dispensary. As part of the agreement, the Nuwu dispensary has a sign in Cashman Field advertising its downtown store, located two blocks from the stadium.[65] Two months later, the club announced a partnership with bookmakerWilliam Hill to offer in-gamebetting via a special mobile app, along with free $5 bets for each home win.[66]
On January 16, 2024, Las Vegas Lights, LLC was sold to an investor group led by former Major League Baseball starJosé Bautista.[67]
The Lights have used unusual promotions and gimmicks to attract fans, including aDJ in the supporters' section and twollama mascots, Dolly and Dotty. The llamas were provided by sponsorsZappos and appear duringtailgate parties and pre-game festivities, including the team photos;[68] during one incident, a llama defecated on the field with only two minutes left before kickoff.[69] The team's mascot was "Cash the Soccer Rocker", a dancing caricature ofJohnny Cash andElvis Presley, who rides aHarley Davidson motorcycle around the stadium. Cash was retired after the 2023 season.[52][70] The team's players are rewarded withcasino chips for regular season home wins with three or more goals, out of a pot of $30,000 supplied by thePlaza Hotel & Casino for the team.[71] Owner Brett Lashbrook stated that he wanted his team to be "a fast, fun soccer party" and encouraged the use of flags andsmoke bombs by supporters.[21][72] The team regularly hosts "cash drop" stunts, in which helicopters or other means are used to drop money onto the field for fans to grab. One instance with a helicopter in September 2019 was investigated by theFederal Aviation Administration for improper altitude control.[73]
Before home matches, the Lights award a "pinkscarf" to Las Vegas residents for their contributions to the community at large. The inaugural honoree of the pink scarf was mayorCarolyn Goodman.[74] The team had a rivalry withReno 1868 FC, the other USL team in the state of Nevada, called the Silver State Cup. The rivalry was named in an online poll by fans of both teams ahead of their first match in March 2018.[75] Reno ceased operations after the2020 season due to financial issues caused by theCOVID-19 pandemic.[76] The Lights'supporters' group is "BLVD Locals", which organizes a march to the match.[77]
The Lights broadcast most of their matches onKVVU, anover-the-air channel serving the Las Vegas market, or its subchannel Silver State Sports & Entertainment Network (SSSEN).[78] For the2024 season, 28 matches were broadcast on SSSEN and four were on KVVU.[79] Matches are also streamed nationally onESPN+ as part of a league-wide broadcast agreement; the same agreement includes national broadcasts for some matches onCBS Sports Network in English andTUDN in Spanish.[78] Radio broadcasts for Lights matches are carried on1460 AM ESPN Deportes in Spanish.[80]
The inaugural preseason match in February 2018 had been aired on "KCLV", a city-run government access channel, but a broadcast agreement could not be reached due to the commercial nature of the club.[55][81] The Lights moved toKVCW (MyLVTV), a commercial over-the-air station, for the 2018 season. Some of the club's matches were broadcast nationally onESPNews andESPN3.[82] The new broadcast agreement with KVVU and SSSEN was announced in October 2022 and took effect immediately.[83]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
| Title | Name | Nation |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | José Bautista |  Dominican Republic |
| CEO | Shawn McIntosh |  Italy[86] |
| Sporting director | Gianleonardo Neglia | Italy[87] |
| Head coach | Devin Rensing |  United States |
| Assistant coach | Giovanni Troise | Italy |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Maximiliano Jose Rabinovich |  Argentina |
| Coach | Nationality | Tenure | Games | Win | Loss | Draw | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelís |  Mexico | November 14, 2017–September 18, 2018 | 30 | 8 | 16 | 6 | 026.67 |
| Isidro Sánchez |  Canada | September 18, 2018–October 16, 2018 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 016.67 |
| Eric Wynalda | United States | October 17, 2018–June 17, 2020 | 36 | 12 | 16 | 8 | 033.33 |
| Frank Yallop | Canada | June 29, 2020–January 31, 2021[88] | 16 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 012.50 |
| Steve Cherundolo | United States | March 12, 2021–January 3, 2022[31] | 32 | 6 | 23 | 3 | 018.75 |
| Enrique Duran |  Spain | February 4, 2022–January 25, 2023[89] | 34 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 035.29 |
| Isidro Sánchez | Canada | January 25, 2023–January 29, 2024[90] | 36 | 4 | 22 | 10 | 011.11 |
| Dennis Sanchez | United States | January 29, 2024–December 24, 2024[91] | 39 | 16 | 12 | 11 | 041.03 |
| Antonio Nocerino | Italy | January 9, 2025–June 10, 2025[92] | 12 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 025.00 |
| Giovanni Troise (interim) | Italy | June 14, 2025–August 3, 2025 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 042.86 |
| Devin Rensing | United States | August 4, 2025–present | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | !— |
| Season | USL Championship[93] | Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup[93] | Top scorer[93] | Avg. attendance[93] | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Pos | Player | Goals | ||||
| 2018 | 34 | 8 | 19 | 7 | 50 | 74 | −24 | 31 | 15th, Western | Did not qualify | Third round | Raúl Mendiola | 10 | 6,786 |
| 2019 | 34 | 11 | 15 | 8 | 46 | 56 | −10 | 41 | 13th, Western | Did not qualify | Third round | Irvin Parra | 15 | 7,711 |
| 2020 | 16 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 24 | 34 | −10 | 11 | 15th, Western 5th, Group 5 | Did not qualify | Canceled |  Yamikani Chester | 4 | — |
| 2021 | 32 | 6 | 23 | 3 | 41 | 77 | −36 | 21 | 15th, Western 8th, Pacific | Did not qualify | Canceled | Cal Jennings | 11 | — |
| 2022 | 34 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 40 | 50 | −10 | 45 | 9th, Western | Did not qualify | Second round | Danny Trejo | 14 | 1,340 |
| 2023 | 34 | 3 | 21 | 10 | 36 | 66 | −30 | 19 | 12th, Western | Did not qualify | Third round |  Danny Ríos | 5 | 1,085 |
| 2024 | 34 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 49 | 46 | +3 | 50 | 4th, Western | Conference Final | Round of 32 |  Khori Bennett | 14 | 1,915 |
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