November in Las Vegas Means F1, Hoops, Bull Riding & More

 _{The Las Vegas Grand Prix headlines a packed sports calendar during the month of November. (Photo: Courtesy Las Vegas Grand Prix)}

Forget Thanksgiving; Las Vegas will be buzzing with a busy sports calendar that is dominated by the Las Vegas Grand Prix. It remains controversial with many visitors, as it creates traffic on the Las Vegas Strip, while MGM’s viewing deck for the race blocks the view of the Bellagio fountains. F1 fans enjoy the race and all of the activations around the busy weekend.

There’s plenty more for sports fans in November. The college basketball season tips off with one standalone game between East Coast blue bloods and two early-season tournaments with teams from around the country.

While the Vegas Golden Knights have a handful of home games at T-Mobile Arena during the month, the Raiders play only once at Allegiant Stadium.

While the big rodeo event takes place in December, the Professional Bull Riders Team Series Championship settles in for a weekend of action.

The MLB Awards once again take place at The Cosmopolitan on Nov. 11. One great thing with awards shows in casinos is that sometimes you can catch celebrities and players milling around before or after the event. 

Las Vegas Grand Prix Races to Strip Again

The Las Vegas Grand Prix race is Nov. 21 at 8 p.m. on the Strip. Practice sessions are Thursday and Friday at 4:30 p.m., with a second practice Thursday at 8 p.m. and qualifying Friday at 8 p.m. The F1 Academy (women drivers) returns to Las Vegas and will also practice and race on the Strip during the weekend.

A word of caution for the curious: While general admission “tickets start at $81,” the cheapest ticket for the race itself is $647.10. This ticket includes free access to concerts and the fan zone. The cheaper tickets are for one-hour practice sessions and qualifying. They’re fun, and you’ll feel the cars rushing by, but this isn’t the race.

There are free and paid F1 activations at casinos up and down the Strip.

• Las Vegas Grand Prix Fan Experience (Across the street from Wynn): FREE, but you must reserve tickets.
• Caesars F1 Events: Nothing for free; dining events at Caesars Palace, Paris, Planet Hollywood and Vanderpump Hotel
• Fontainebleau Race Club: F1 car on display (free), dinners, drinks, and club events.
• MGM Zone Race Week: Free installations and paid experiences at Aria, Bellagio, Cosmopolitan and Park MGM.
• Race World at Resorts World: Nothing for free but multiple non-race but unique dining experiences and nightclub events.
• Alpine at The Venetian: Free race simulators and the Alpine F1 car will be on display.
• Ultimate Race Week at Wynn: Free Bull Pit Stop Challenge, FQ Lounge for F1 Academy, a few retail experiences and a watch party for the race.

The Backstreet Boys will perform at the F1 Afterparty, the official post-race show, at Sphere on Nov. 21.

College Hoops Hits Hardwood at Mandalay Bay & T-Mobile

The college basketball season begins around the country in November, and there are two tournaments and a standalone game in Las Vegas.

The action starts with the Hall of Fame Series, which airs on TNT Sports, at T-Mobile Arena on Nov. 2:

Session 1 is women’s games:

• Game 1: Arizona vs. Stanford - 10:30 a.m.
• Game 2: UNLV vs. USC - 1:00 p.m.

Session 2 is men’s games:

• Game 1: Gonzaga vs. Purdue - 4:30 p.m.
• Game 2: UCLA vs. Arizona - 7:00 p.m.

The Players Era Championships, a men’s college basketball event, are split between T-Mobile Arena and Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay.

• Players Era 8 is Nov. 17-19 at Mandalay Bay and features 12 games with UNLV, Kansas, Auburn, Houston, Florida, Notre Dame, Rutgers and West Virginia playing.
• Players Era 16 is Nov. 24-28 at Mandalay Bay and T-Mobile Arena. This portion has two eight-team brackets, and the field includes Gonzaga, Alabama, Baylor, Tennessee, Michigan, Oregon and more.

The championship game will take place at Mandalay Bay on Nov. 28.

Lastly, Duke will play UConn at T-Mobile Arena on Nov. 25.

PBR Team Series Championship Rides into Sin City

The season-ending postseason tournament for the Professional Bull Riders’ (PBR) team-based league takes place at T-Mobile Arena from Nov. 6-8.

This is different from regular PBR events. In team events, riders compete for their teams rather than themselves.

The event features head-to-head matchups in bracket format based on regular-season standings, including all 10 teams for the postseason, with the championship decided on Sunday.

Vegas Golden Knights Back on Home Ice

The Golden Knights have six home games at T-Mobile Arena this month against five teams. They’re playing two straight home games against the Dallas Stars on Nov. 17 and 19.

• Nov. 11 vs. Utah Mammoth
• Nov. 13 vs. Nashville Predators
• Nov. 15 vs. Vancouver Canucks
• Nov. 17 vs. Dallas Stars
• Nov. 19 vs. Dallas Stars
• Nov. 28 vs. Montreal Canadiens

Home-team fans should dominate the crowd for most of these games. The Montreal Canadiens, an Original Six franchise with a loyal following, play on a Saturday afternoon. Expect to see plenty of red jerseys inside the arena during the game and outside at The Park and nearby casinos.

Raiders Host Defending Super Bowl Champs

The Raiders have only one home game in November. They play the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks at Allegiant Stadium on Nov. 15.

The 12s, as Seattle fans are known, travel in large flocks. Don’t be surprised if Allegiant Stadium sounds like a home game for the visiting team yet again.

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