UNLV basketball program 'not for sale': Runnin' Rebels coach Josh Pastner walks back wild claim
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- Josh Pastner told KTNV's Taylor Rocha that someone could 'own' the Runnin' Rebels for $10-12 million, arguing it's a cheaper alternative to purchasing an NBA franchise in Las Vegas 'for over a billion dollars.'
- Pastner issued a Monday clarification stating the program 'is not for sale,' saying his 'owner' reference was meant to highlight the resources and sponsorships needed in modern college athletics.
- UNLV posted a playful Sunday social media response listing other $10 million purchases (a jet, a mansion) ahead of the coach's formal walkback.
- Pastner's comments came as multiple groups pursue an NBA franchise expected to arrive in Las Vegas in the coming years, with the coach pitching the college team as a cheaper alternative.
- Pastner framed buying the college team as offering a 'great tax write-off' and hands-on involvement at a fraction of the cost of an NBA ownership stake.
- The source notes college sports 'ownership' is no longer far-fetched, with some schools already taking private equity money and universities spinning off athletic operations into third-party entities.
Why it matters: Pastner's $10-12 million pitch for an 'owner' of a public university basketball program — while walked back within days — makes visible how normalized the ownership conversation has become in college athletics. With private equity already flowing into schools and some universities spinning off athletic departments into separate entities, a coach publicly floating individual program ownership signals just how thin the line between college and pro sports has grown.
