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By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
The Pac-12 sports conference sure likes Las Vegas even though there’s no serious consideration of UNLV joining this sports league.
The conference, which loses anchor members Southern California and UCLA after this season to the Big Ten in 2024, stages its league championship football game at Allegiant Stadium and its basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena.
And on Friday, the Pac-12 set up its football media day at Resorts World, shining a spotlight on coaches like USC’s Lincoln Riley and players who chatted with eager media.
Las Vegas serves as a neutral event site for the Pac-12, a conference in transition as USC and UCLA leave the conference of champions.
Las Vegas is proving to be a hub for these one-off sports events. Its airport is literally next to Las Vegas Boulevard at some points and the infrastructure of host venues makes it easy to find a place to make a splash like the Pac-12 did today.
The Pac-12 has held its football media day in Los Angeles in places like downtown LA Live. But Las Vegas has proved to be a good geographic hub for a conference with teams from Colorado, Utah and Arizona.
Former MGM Resorts International executive George Kliavkoff is the Pac-12 commissioner, so he’s well versed on Las Vegas’ hospitality and tourism focus.
Kliavkoff urged patience as the conference in flux works out details in a media deal that has grown into the elephant in the Rose ballroom and the Zouk club, where the Pac-12 media event was staged at Resorts World.