It’s A Sellout For UNLV vs UNR At Allegiant Stadium Saturday, But There Were Only 1,800 Tickets To Be Sold

Allegiant Stadium
September 10, 2020
(Josh Hawkins/UNLV Photo Services)

By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com

UNLV Athletics have a sellout for Saturday’s first ever Rebels football game at Allegiant Stadium, where UNLV hosts in-state rival University of Nevada, Reno.

But let’s not go hog wild quite yet.

UNLV only had to sell 1,800 tickets — and they did so in an hour after they went on sale this week.

Allegiant Stadium
September 10, 2020
(Josh Hawkins/UNLV Photo Services)

Another 200 tickets were give away for free to UNLV students.

The state is permitting UNLV to have only 2,000 fans inside domed Allegiant Stadium because of coronavirus pandemic concerns. UNLV was hoping for 10 percent of the 65,000-seat capacity venue, or 6,500 fans for the historic first UNLV game inside the palatial football venue. The Halloween rivalry game starts at a spooky 7:30 p.m.

The Las Vegas Raiders do not allow any fans inside the stadium because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed the lives of 228,000 Americans. Raiders owner Mark Davis said if all the fans can’t attend home games then none will.

The Raiders use natural grass for its retractable playing surface, while UNLV uses artificial turf. A rolling system moves the playing fields in and out of the building.

Hey Reb! and the Fremont Cannon on the football practice field. Images done with a smoke bomb.
January 17, 2019
(Josh Hawkins/UNLV Creative Services)

UNLV got off to a sluggish start in the season-opener last Saturday when San Diego State toyed with the Rebs, 34-6, including a 27-0 lead at halftime.

 


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Alan Snel

Alan Snel brings decades of sports-business reporting experience to LVSportsBiz.com. Snel covered the business side of sports for the South Florida (Fort Lauderdale) Sun-Sentinel, the Tampa Tribune and Las Vegas Review-Journal. As a city hall beat reporter, Snel also covered stadium deals in Denver and Seattle. In 2000, Snel launched a sport-business website for FoxSports.com called FoxSportsBiz.com. After reporting sports-business for the RJ, Snel wrote hard-hitting stories on the Raiders stadium for the Desert Companion magazine in Las Vegas and The Nevada Independent. Snel is also one of the top bicycle advocates in the country.