Las Vegas Sphere to host 2024 NHL Draft
8 May 2024(PRESS RELEASE) -- The 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held at Sphere in Las Vegas on Friday, 28 June and Saturday, 29 June, the National Hockey League and Sphere jointly announced today, marking the first time the event will be held in Las Vegas. Additionally, the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be the first event televised live from Sphere.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman made the official announcement during tonight’s broadcast of the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery.
“The NHL is proud to bring the first sports event and the first live television broadcast to Sphere,” said Steve Mayer, NHL Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer. “Together with the amazing team at Sphere, we plan to deliver an NHL Draft like no other, introducing the bright future of hockey in an innovative and exhilarating setting.”
“Sphere continues to establish itself as a premier destination for some of the most highly anticipated events in sports and entertainment,” said Joel Fisher, Executive Vice President, Marquee Events and Operations for MSG Entertainment, who oversees marquee events for Sphere. “We’re pleased to welcome the NHL Draft, and look forward to showcasing Sphere’s next-generation capabilities both in person and around the world via the first live television broadcast from the venue.”
“Hosting the 2024 NHL Draft at Sphere perfectly captures Las Vegas’ evolution as the Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “Las Vegas has been a hockey town since the puck dropped at the first Golden Knights game in 2017. As the reigning Stanley Cup Champions, we couldn’t be more thrilled that the NHL chose Las Vegas and this truly innovative venue to welcome its next generation of players.”
The 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft will take place over two days: Friday, 28 June (Round 1, televised on ESPN, ESPN+, Sportsnet and TVA Sports, starting at 4 p.m. PT) and Saturday, 29 June (Rounds 2-7, televised on ESPN+, NHL Network, Sportsnet and SN1, starting at 8:30 a.m. PT). NHL club executives, scouts and coaches will be present on the NHL Draft floor, while thousands of fans and hundreds of print, television and radio media are expected to attend.
Sphere is a next-generation entertainment medium that is redefining live entertainment. Since opening in Las Vegas in September 2023, Sphere has become renowned worldwide both for its captivating visuals and immersive live experiences. The exterior of Sphere – the Exosphere – is the largest LED screen on Earth and has become a vivid landmark on the Las Vegas skyline. Inside, the venue is powered by cutting-edge technologies that ignite the senses and enable audiences to share experiences at a never-before-seen scale. This includes Sphere’s 160,000 sq. ft. LED screen, which wraps up, over and around the audience, creating a fully immersive visual environment.
This is the third straight year Upper Deck will title sponsor the NHL Draft. In 2021 the NHL and the NHLPA announced long-term extensions of their licenses with The Upper Deck Company to be the exclusive licensed manufacturer of trading cards. Upper Deck has maintained NHL and NHLPA trading card licenses since the 1990-91 season and is credited with numerous innovations that have shaped the trading card industry over the last three decades. In 2016, the company launched ground-breaking technology with its patent-pending Upper Deck e-Pack platform, allowing collectors to buy, trade and store collectibles at any time, from anywhere in the world.