AD Admits UNLV Athletics Can Only Cover First Two Years of Football Coach's Contract

University of Nevada Las Vegas athletic director Erick Harper told the Board of Regents last week that his department can only cover the first two years of football coach Dan Mullen’s five-year contract.

As reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Harper told regents in a meeting Friday that the university’s athletic department is $26 million to $31 million in debt. Regent Joseph Arrascada asked how Harper plans to pay for Mullen’s $17.5 million contract.

“Because you have $3.5 million for five years … you’re running nearly $30 million in the red,” Arrascada said. “What is the plan to pay the coach, and how is it going to get done.”

Harper said he hopes to raise money through donations and increased revenue from football games to pay Mullen, hired in December to replace Barry Odom, for the final three years of his contract, Mick Akers of the Review-Journal reported.

“We have the funds to pay the coach over the next two years,” Harper said. “We have been working with our donors to assist with philanthropic dollars. We have one that has already paid their commitment, and that money is in an unrestricted line and that will be utilized in the future to help with the salaries.”

Mullen’s hiring has resulted in increased interest in the football program, according to Akers, with UNLV selling 5,031 season tickets for 2025 so far.

The university also is increasing prices for single-game tickets, suite rentals and new VIP ticket holders “to assist and generate new revenue,” Harper said. 

UNLV has received $2.5 million in revenue from football tickets sales thus far for 2025, up from $1.8 million at the same time last year, Harper said.

“Impressive numbers, but fans are fickle,” Arrascada said. “One bad season, those numbers can plummet.”

UNLV also is expected to receive between $19 million and $24.8 million from the Mountain West Conference for agreeing to stay when five other schools left for the Pac-12 beginning in 2026.

"The money would come from exit/poaching fees, but is the subject of litigation," Akers wrote. "The Mountain West said last month that it has agreed to enter mediation with the Pac-12 and the three schools that filed lawsuits."

Those potential funds were not included in the athletic department’s 10-year budget analysis, but Harper told regents that some of it likely would be used to pay down the debt, Akers added.

UNLV's budgeted expenses for personnel alone break down as follows over the next five years, as reported by Akers:

• Fiscal Year 2025, $26.4 million
• FY 2026, $23.6 million
• FY 2027, $24.1 million
• FY 2028, $24.3 million
• FY 2029, $24.6 million