In looking at this from a sales standpoint, I think Verizon is playing with fire, if they elect to release it after Thursday.
Look at the ad's you'll get in the Thursday paper, 2" of them.
It seems like it'll be difficult for them to announce "new and improved", when every other store is doing the same.
There is going to be a lot of sales background "noise" to compete with.
Sure, the real Nexus nuts, will buy it asap, no matter, but your average joe, he's probably as clueless as some of the CSR's, various folks have talked with.
I'm betting on a soft launch Monday with TV ad's running the same day.
The gotta have it now crowd, are probably trawling UK websites, to find an overseas version, and import it in.
That being said, I don't believe they'll benefit from LTE, as it will probably only work on the GSM side, if they drag one across the pond, to use in the states.
Your mileage may vary.