UNLV basketball program 'not for sale': Runnin' Rebels coach Josh Pastner walks back wild claim — SkimNews
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- Josh Pastner told KTNV reporter Taylor Rocha that a buyer could 'own' the UNLV basketball program for $10-12 million, pitching it as a cheaper alternative to purchasing an NBA franchise in Las Vegas.
- Pastner issued a formal clarification on July 27, 2026, stating the Runnin' Rebels are 'not for sale' and that his reference to an 'owner' was meant to highlight needed resources, sponsorships, and support — not literal ownership.
- UNLV posted a playful Sunday social media response listing other things $10 million could buy, including a jet and a mansion, before Pastner's Monday walkback.
- Pastner's pitch came as several groups pursued an NBA team in Las Vegas, with the coach arguing that his program offered a cheaper route to team ownership with a tax write-off.
- The college sports business model is increasingly fluid, with some schools taking private equity money and others spinning athletic operations into third-party entities — making the concept of 'ownership' less far-fetched than it once was.
Why it matters: Pastner's backpedal underscores how unsettled college sports ownership has become — schools are courting private equity and third-party structures, and a coach publicly testing the 'ownership' concept forced UNLV to clarify that the program is not for sale, revealing just how novel and uncomfortable the idea still is for universities.
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