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By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
The Mountain West Conference is exploring more business partnerships with the Circa hotel-casino after the college sports league that includes UNLV began staging its football media days at the downtown Las Vegas property this week.
It makes perfect sense — Circa has a sports-focused theme to its hotel-casino and Circa owner Derek Stevens is well-known as a big sports fan.
“We found a great property,” said Javan Hedlund, Mountain West Conference associate commissioner for external communications strategy. “We want to expand (our partnership) with Circa. They’re so sports-oriented and they wanted to see it (media days at Circa).”
Hedlund said he envisions Circa working out a sponsorship and sees Circa as a possible location for MWC basketball media days. Stevens said Circa is also open to exploring a wider business relationship with the Mountain West.
Hedlund did say he doesn’t believe it’s logistically possible from a schedule standpoint to stage the Mountain West Conference football championship game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas because the Pac-12 already has a deal with Allegiant Stadium and the LVCVA to have its title game there. Plus, the Raiders could be home that same weekend.
The Mountain West and Las Vegas go way back. The conference has staged its basketball tournament here in Vegas for years before other college basketball tournaments moved their events to the Las Vegas market.
As Hedlund put it, “The Mountain West has been a part of the sports world here in Las Vegas before the Knights, Raiders and other conference events. It was the 51s and us.”
LVSportsBiz.com also talked with UNLV Athletic Director Erick Harper, who was at the MWC media days event. Here’s our interview with Harper on his thoughts for promoting and selling UNLV football to Las Vegas. He did open with the fact that winning is the best way to get locals to Allegiant Stadium, UNLV football’s home venue, and noted a focus is on selling an affordable ticket to families.
UNLV Tickets is also peddling a three-game deal for bigger spenders. It’s a VIP premium seat plan that costs $615 for three games of your choosing.
Season tickets for UNLV home games range from $150 to $500.
UNLV player Naki Fahina, a defensive lineman, said one way to get more fans to home games is for Rebels players to get more involved in the community by working on homeless issues or picking up trash.
“We didn’t get out to the community last few years,” said Fahina, a six-foot, 300-pound senior.
LVSportsBiz.com also caught up with Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez, who took over as commissioner less than seven months ago from the conference’s very first employee, Craig Thompson.
The Mountain West is open to creating a new marketing push, including even possibly changing its logo, Hedlund said. Kansas City-based Global Prairie handles the Mountain West’s marketing.
On Thursday, the MWC coaches meet the media to discuss the 2023 season.