The Thrill Returns: How Las Vegas Can Cheer Beyond the Scoreboard

Las Vegas knows how to put on a show. Now, with the Vegas Thrill returning in January, we have another chance to build something worth showing up for: a volleyball community where the cheers reach beyond the scoreboard.

This is a letter to two groups of people I already love: the players, coaches and staff of the Vegas Thrill, and the city that's about to welcome them home.

I've felt what volleyball means in Nebraska. I know what it can mean here. And I want to help bring that feeling to Vegas.

1. The comeback

The Thrill sat out the 2026 season so the team could secure strong local ownership. They found it. Entrepreneur and longtime Henderson resident Michael Landier is the new owner, and Rachel Morris is the new head coach.

Michael, I want to say this plainly, in front of the whole city: thank you for saving the Thrill. Because of you, Las Vegas still gets to feel the thrill of pro volleyball at home.

2. Why Las Vegas should care

We’ve become a real sports town. We pack arenas for hockey and stadiums for football. A pro volleyball team gives us something different: a fast, beautiful game you can feel from your seat, played by world-class athletes our daughters and sons can look up to.

Imagine the traditions we could start. Families who make match night their night. Friends who claim the same section all season long. Club teams who show up in their jerseys and scream for the setter. Kids who walk out of Lee’s Family Forum with a high five, a signed poster, and a brand new dream.

The Thrill have already said they’ll offer free clinics to the local volleyball community. That’s how a team becomes part of a city: one young player at a time.

3. What Nebraska taught me about volleyball

In Nebraska, volleyball isn’t just a sport. It’s belonging. It’s a whole state that knows the players’ names, fills the stands, and treats a Tuesday night match like a holiday. I’ve felt that feeling of being surrounded by people who love the same game you love, and it never leaves you.

I played volleyball in school, and I’ll always remember the game where I served 24 points. One game. Twenty-four points. What I remember most isn’t the number, though. It’s how it felt to stand at that line with my team behind me, believing in the next serve.

So here’s the part that makes me smile: the Thrill open their season against the Omaha Supernovas, Nebraska’s pro team. Two places I love, on one court, on opening night. And I know exactly who I’m cheering for. Go Thrill.

4. What we cheer for matters

Volleyball is like a ballet where you never know what the next move or the next scene will be, but somehow it’s always more beautiful than the last play.

Yes, let’s go wild for the spectacular spikes. But let’s also cheer for the moments the scoreboard never counts: the teammate who picks someone up after an error, the libero who dives for a ball nobody thought she could reach, the server who steps to the line in a tight fifth set and doesn’t flinch, and the setter who makes everyone around her look great.

That’s the heart of Compliments for Change. I teach people to give a compliment that is specific and sincere: say what you noticed, and why it mattered. Now imagine a whole arena that does that. Fans who tell players exactly what they saw. Players who lift each other up. Coaches who pair high standards with real recognition. I believe everyone in that building deserves a compliment for their hard work, from the players and coaches to the staff and the people welcoming fans at the door.

Here’s the difference. Instead of “Nice game,” try: “You kept talking to your back row through the whole fifth set. We could hear you from the stands, and it mattered.” One fades by the parking lot. The other one gets remembered.

5. An invitation to all of Las Vegas

So here is my invitation. Before the Thrill ever hit the court, let’s fill them with love.

• Write the team a compliment. Go to complimentsforchange.com/compliment-the-thrill and tell a player, a coach or the whole team what you’re excited to see. I’ll gather every one and share them with the team.
• Put it on a wall. Sign up for the free Compliments for Change app and post compliments for the team on a public wall for the whole city to read.
• Get some love back. Sign up for free compliments of your own. A happy heart cheers louder.
• Follow the official news. Get the schedule and ticket updates from the Vegas Thrill team page and on Instagram at @vegasthrill.
• Wear the purple. I want to see Thrill gear all over this valley. My dream? Vegas Thrill merch outselling everything in town, right alongside the Raiders and the Golden Knights.
• Bring someone new. A kid, a coworker, a neighbor who’s never seen pro volleyball. Give them their first match night.

Where I fit in this story

I’m a fan with a mission, not a team spokesperson. Compliments for Change is my company, and one day I’d love to offer the team recognition training. But this invitation is independent: the Vegas Thrill haven’t partnered with or endorsed Compliments for Change. It’s simply my gift to a team and a city I believe in. You can read my idea for volleyball team recognition if you’re curious.

To the players, coaches and staff: Las Vegas is so glad you’re here. We see the work you put in before anyone is watching. Now go show them what this city feels like.

See you January 7. I’ll be the one cheering loudest for the serve.

With love, Dawn