If talking filled seats, the Thomas & Mack Center would be sold out every night.
That’s the hard lesson UNLV basketball coach Josh Pastner is learning, according to a recent Las Vegas Review-Journal article detailing his frustration with low home attendance.
Since being hired, Pastner says he’s spoken to every group that would listen.
He’s done media hits. He’s shaken hands. He’s sold the vision.
And yet, the crowds still aren’t there.
The Rebels are averaging about 5,600 fans in an arena built for nearly 19,000. The home opener drew just over 5,200 people.
Pastner called it an “eye-opening experience.”
I don’t doubt his effort. I doubt the strategy.
Effort Isn’t the Same as Results
I’ve been a UNLV fan for decades. I also make my living in direct-response marketing.
That’s the kind of marketing where you measure results, not applause.
The approach described in the RJ article is classic awareness marketing. It feels productive. It looks busy.
But it rarely moves people to act.
Las Vegas is full of options. Pro sports. Shows. Streaming at home.
Families don’t need another speech. They need a reason to go.
That’s not a coaching issue. It’s a marketing one.
Stop Selling the Program, Start Selling the Experience.
Right now, the message is basically, “Please come support us while we rebuild.”
That’s not how people make decisions.
Families decide based on price, fun, and convenience. Not slogans.
UNLV should be selling a night out, not a long-term vision.
Cheap tickets. Food deals. Kid-friendly energy.
Something that says, “This will be fun, even if we lose.”
You don’t need a championship banner to sell popcorn and memories.
Create a “Junior Rebels” Program
Here’s a simple fix that should’ve happened years ago.
Create a “Junior Rebels” section in the upper deck. Sell those seats cheap. Five or eight bucks for kids. Bundle family packs.
Give kids a lanyard or badge. Let them feel like part of something.
Run contests during timeouts. Make it loud.
Those seats are empty anyway. An empty seat makes zero dollars. A cheap seat builds a future fan.
That’s not theory. That’s common sense.
Bring Back Hey Reb!
Another missing piece is energy.
UNLV basketball used to feel electric. Now it feels quiet.
A half-empty arena spreads people out and kills the vibe.
Mascots matter. Especially for kids.
Bringing back Hey Reb! wouldn’t fix everything, but it would help.
It adds motion. Noise. Fun. It gives younger fans something to latch onto.
Nobody brings their kid to watch “grit and toughness.”
They bring them for excitement.
Talking Isn’t Marketing
Pastner listed all the places he spoke. That’s fine.
But the only number that matters is how many tickets were sold afterward.
Marketing is about accountability. You test. You measure. You adjust.
Limited-time offers. Flash ticket deals. Theme nights. Kids-run-the-court games.
Packed sections that concentrate noise instead of spreading fans thin.
None of that requires government money or new taxes. It just requires thinking like a business instead of a bureaucracy.
Winning Helps. But It’s Not the Whole Answer.
Critics will say winning solves everything.
It helps, sure. But that’s not the short-term fix.
Good marketing works even during rebuilds. Especially in a city like Las Vegas.
UNLV doesn’t need more speeches. It needs smarter offers.
Fill the cheap seats. Hook the kids. Make it fun again.
The wins will matter more when there’s someone there to cheer.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. Digital technology was used in the research, writing, and production of this article. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
