Las Vegas, Fans Rejoice as Mendoza Drafted by Raiders

^{The NFL Draft Party for the Las Vegas Raiders was hosted at the Palms Casino Resort for the second straight year. (Photo: Matty Simo / Casinos.com)}

LAS VEGAS – Las Vegas Raider fans got exactly what they wanted from the team’s annual NFL Draft Party last Thursday at the Palms Casino Resort. When NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stepped to the podium in Pittsburgh to announce the first overall pick, their supporters already knew what words were about to come out of his mouth.

“With the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders select – Fernando Mendoza, quarterback, Indiana,” Goodell announced.

Mendoza spoke publicly about the moment the following day at the Festival of Football in nearby Henderson, where he described the call from Raiders GM John Spytek.

“That was so emotional, my mom was right there, I was trying to hold back the tears of joy,” Mendoza said. “When the call came in, I was just so blessed. The past 24 hours, I can’t thank Raider Nation enough for all the support and love.”

Mendoza quickly became the top-selling athlete across Fanatics, according to TMZ Sports.  That should also be great news for Las Vegas casinos, which will be stocking his merchandise and hopefully bringing in even more visitors for home games during the upcoming season.

Locals Could Start Attending More Home Games

Since the Raiders started playing in front of fans at Allegiant Stadium five years ago, out-of-towners have accounted for roughly two-thirds of the attendance, acccording to the Las Vegas Stadium Authority (LVSA).

Not surprisingly, nearly half of season-ticket holders reside outside of Nevada. Most of those people live in California, where the team previously played in Oakland and Los Angeles. Around one-third of Raider fans are from the Golden State.

Allegiant was crowned the highest-grossing stadium in the U.S. last year by Billboard Magazine and "Stadium of the Year" in the 37th Annual Pollstar Awards, regardless of who attends the games and events there. In recent seasons, more than half the crowd at some home games has been cheering for the visiting team.

However, the team’s improved performance could lead to more home fans attending games. Jeremy Aguero, principal analyst at Applied Analysis and a former lead staff member of the Las Vegas Stadium Authority, sees an opportunity for locals to visit Allegiant for games.

“All of sudden you change that, you get a little more of a home-field environment,” said Aguero back in January. “I don’t think there are any better fans on planet earth than Raiders fans once they feel like they can get behind that team. It’s been a few difficult years for them, but they are finding their way forward.”

Aguero worked as Chief Operations and Analytics Officer of the Raiders from 2021 to 2022. During that time, he has seen the team struggle to gain support from locals in the Vegas area and become dependent on the tourist population. But he thinks Mendoza could help turn things around quickly and build up the local fanbase.

“(Mendoza) gives the Raiders something every franchise wants but few can manufacture,” Aguero told Casinos.com on Sunday. "A reason for fans to feel personally invested before he ever takes a snap."

Mendoza the Key to Raider Nation Revival

Alan Snel, publisher of LVSportsBiz.com, believes Mendoza could become the new face of the franchise moving forward and be exactly the player the Raiders need. Snel said defensive star Maxx Crosby has carried the marketing burden since the team first arrived in 2020. But he isn't a quarterback like Mendoza, the position in which quarterbacks drive franchises most. 

“Mendoza represents hope and a sense of renewal for this franchise,” Snel said. “With the Raiders having two atrocious seasons in a row and so many visiting team fans attending games, Mendoza can definitely provide a marketing lift by instilling some stability and continuity in a franchise that has struggled to achieve an identity since relocating.”

Aguero agreed with Snel and took it a step further, noting that Mendoza’s community-driven mindset off the field could be a huge benefit for Vegas and Raider Nation as a whole. In other words, the Raiders got a lot more than a football player when they chose him.

“Obviously, star quarterbacks move tickets, but relatable star quarterbacks build connections,” Aguero said. “If Mendoza connects with the community, especially Las Vegas’ large and growing Hispanic fan base, he can help turn curiosity into attendance, attendance into tradition, and tradition into economic impact. Mendoza has a real chance to help make that happen for the Raiders and for Las Vegas.” 

The Heisman Trophy winner and national champion led the Hoosiers to their first-ever NCAA football championship on January 19. He will now have his work cut out for him with the Raiders, who have not had a winning record or made the playoffs since 2021.