After COVID Shut Down Sports Industry, College Hoops Tourneys In Vegas, Fans Are Wooed Back To Arenas In Sin City
Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
Two years ago, the sports industry shut down, sport by sport, event by event, in Las Vegas as a coronavirus began sweeping around the world, claiming lives.
The Mountain West Conference, which includes UNLV, had already completed its postseason tournament during the weekend before COVID-19 began shuttering the NBA, Major League Baseball’s spring training, the NHL and eventually the Pac-12 tournament at T-Mobile Arena.
The Pac-12 installed hand sanitizer stands around the arena and then joined the rest of the sports world in closing shop. These two LVSportsBiz.com photos were taken two years ago.
A year ago, the parade of college basketball tournaments returned to Las Vegas but the fans were not allowed in the gyms.
This year, the fans were given the green light to return to the college basketball games. The Mountain West Conference, in fact, ran radio spots specifically pointing out that fans were back. LVSportsBiz reached out to the Mountain West to discuss how it marketed its tourney in Las Vegas but never heard back. The LVCVA’s non-profit events arm, Las Vegas Events, is sponsoring the Mountain West tourney in Las Vegas to the tune of $300,000. There were also Mountain West tourney ads on local highway billboards.
On Friday, the team that knocked out UNLV the night before, Wyoming, was down 14 points to top-seeded Boise State, 37-23, at halftime at Thomas & Mack Center. The UNLV home arena was re-decorated to make it into a neutral conference tourney site.
Wyoming traveled well with its fans, including the popular Barrel Man. I speak on behalf of many in the gym in saying let’s hope the Barrel Man’s suspenders do not have a wardrobe malfunction.
By the second half, the Boise State squad was leading the Wyoming Cowboys by 16 points. Boise State wrapped up the win over Wyoming, 68-61. Boise State will play San Diego State in the MWC final Saturday after the Aztecs knocked out Colorado State, 63-58.
The conference’s teams seem offensively challenged as the scores have been in the 50s and 60s.
Meanwhile over at the Pac-12 semifinals, Arizona knocked out Colorado, 82-72, and in the battle of LA, it was UCLA 69 USC 59. It’s Arizona vs UCLA in the Pac-12 final at 6 PM Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.
Here are some LVSportsBiz.com pics:
And over at the new Dollar Loan Center arena in Henderson, the Big West Conference final is set — it’s Cal State Fullerton vs Long Beach State at 8:30PM Saturday.
PSA
