When the Vegas Golden Knights were in Los Angeles for the franchise's first ever road playoff game on April 15, they sent a tweet asking their fans: "Where's everyone watching the game from tonight?"
Over 1,500 responses rolled in, and the team was stunned to discover how far the support for this expansion franchise reached.
"It was pretty amazing. People from everywhere: China, Philippines, Australia, Sweden, Germany, England, you name it," said Brian Killingsworth, the team's chief marketing officer.
"We thought it was really special. And that's where this VGK Worldwide thing took off," Killingsworth added, referring to a social media hashtag created for the campaign.
For most of their inaugural season, the Golden Knights had focused on "Vegas Born" as a mantra, celebrating the fact that they were the first major professional sports team in Las Vegas. But the playoffs have broadened their horizons: They've thought locally, and now they're acting globally.
According to Killingsworth, the Knights contacted many of the international fans who responded to that initial tweet through direct message. Each fan was sent a T-shirt design that the team had been selling for the past month: a "name tag" that reads "I'm From [Blank Space] But I Cheer For Vegas Golden Knights."
Share your #VGKWorldwide shirts with us!
We wanna seeeee 👀 pic.twitter.com/wVTguJ6LsM — Vegas Golden Knights Gear (@VGKGear) April 26, 2018
Fans were encouraged to write in their geographic information in that white space with a marker, and put those images on social media.
"We've racked up quite a shipping bill, but it's a direct response to our fans," said Killingsworth.
He said the global approach to Golden Knights fandom mirrors the melting pot of the expansion team and the international popularity of the city.
"Everybody looks at Vegas and the 42 million people that come to this city every year, and this franchise reflects that. It was put together by [GM] George McPhee as a collection of players from all across the country. So we had some fun with the design," said Killingsworth. "They see the story about this team as something that transcends sports. It's really powerful. We see the impact that it's had locally, but it's really humbling to see how it's impacted people all over the world."
The Vegas Golden Knights made waves before Game 1 of their first franchise playoff series with an absolutely incredible pregame show, and Twitter took notice. Now, some Golden Knights fans kindly informed me last time around that this is a season-long thing in Vegas, and that it was a spectacle all year, but it's a surreal thing to see every time I see it.
Here are a few samples of what we got on Thursday night before the puck dropped on the Golden Knights' second-round series with the visiting San Jose Sharks.
Another round of pregame festivities in Vegas. pic.twitter.com/mOFoPLlNsD — NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) April 27, 2018
Pregame cosplay in Vegas pic.twitter.com/lSXu3EFxZd — CJ Fogler (@cjzero) April 27, 2018
That actor is the absolute man. He gets into it. And in turn, so do some of the fans.
I don’t care what anyone says I love the Golden Knights’ pregame show. It screams Vegas. — CJ Woodling (@CJWoodling) April 27, 2018
I HOPE EVERYBODY WATCHED THE @GoldenKnights PREGAME FESTIVITIES I'M READY TO FIGHT EVERYTHING. — Miller Lulow (@MLulow88) April 27, 2018
So happy to see @NBCSN FINALLY show our @GoldenKnights 's pregame!!! — Sarah K (@SarahKompare) April 27, 2018
The Vegas Golden Knights pregame is possibly more entertaining than that actual game. — Conor (@TheRealCP22) April 27, 2018
But serious #NHLPlayoffs thoughts: If you aren’t on the @GoldenKnights bandwagon, you crazy. I can’t even with this pregame show. Even @PredsNHL can’t compete at this point.... — Tiffany Langer (@TLanger14) April 27, 2018
Of course, like all (objectively) great things, it had its share of haters.
The pregame before the @GoldenKnights game was excruciating. Like Medieval Times without the chicken leg… or entertainment. — Seth King (@setheking) April 27, 2018
Pregame show?
Lets take the cheesiest Vegas acts and then make them worse: @GoldenKnights — Crispy (@cjbarresi75) April 27, 2018
This @GoldenKnights pregame intro is probably the worst/funniest thing I have ever seen — Sajon (@sajon91) April 27, 2018
Vegas Golden Knights pregame show is like Medieval Times x Girls Show and I’m not NOT here for it. #PlayoffHockey — Rebecca (@BeccaDubow) April 27, 2018
Pregame show for the @GoldenKnights....I can’t. No. — Danielle Marchell (@ddmarchell) April 27, 2018
Hey, you can say whatever you want about the absurd spectacle, but it gets T-Mobile rocking, and it just oozes Vegas. The Golden Knights have done what everyone doubted and made Las Vegas care about something other than gambling. And even if their arena isn't shy on transplants, it's still predominately gold and black.
After they swept the Kings, the team only got more hype, so there's no question that the place is absolutely rocking. With the Knights jumping out all over the Sharks, the atmosphere in there is completely insane. I attribute part of that to the guy in the knight costume.
Vegas shut out San Jose in game 1 to kick-off round 2. The Golden Knights and the San Jose Sharks return to T-Mobile Arena on Saturday at 5 p.m. PT. Game Recap
