UNLV's Pastner clarifies request for team 'owner' — SkimNews
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- Josh Pastner posted a statement on UNLV's social media channels Monday clarifying that "the Runnin' Rebels are not for sale," walking back last week's KTNV interview where he pitched finding an "owner" for the program.
- Pastner said his "owner" reference was meant to highlight the "level of resources, sponsorships, and overall support needed to compete in today's evolving college athletics landscape," not to suggest anyone could buy the team.
- Pastner, in his original KTNV interview, said: "Why buy the NBA team? Buy the college basketball team. You can be the owner of the UNLV Runnin' Rebels men's basketball team. And it's a lot less expensive."
- Pastner cited a specific NIL math gap, saying a $12 million check could compete against Kentucky, Duke, Arizona, and UCLA for any player, while UNLV's budget might limit offers to $100,000 against competing $1 million offers.
- UNLV went 18-17 in Pastner's first season and finished tied for seventh in the Mountain West Conference at 11-9; the program last made the NCAA tournament in 2013 and won the 1990 national championship.
- Pastner pointed to Las Vegas's basketball profile, noting the NBA's summer league is hosted there and the Final Four is scheduled for 2028 in the city.
Why it matters: Pastner's clarification reframes an "ownership" pitch that made UNLV sound like a franchise for sale into a NIL-era fundraising appeal — but the underlying gap he flagged is real: competing with blue-blood programs like Kentucky and Duke requires seven-figure NIL budgets that UNLV's current resources can't match, and the Rebels haven't reached the NCAA tournament since 2013.
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