UNLV head basketball coach Josh Pastner is clarifying comments he made during a local TV interview, saying he is looking for a backer to become the "owner" of the Runnin' Rebels program.
"I want to clarify my recent comments regarding support for the UNLV men's basketball program," Pastner said in a statement. "The Runnin' Rebels are not for sale, and my reference to an 'owner' was meant to highlight the level of resources, sponsorships, and overall support needed to compete in today's evolving college athletics landscape — not to suggest anyone could own the program."
Pastner made the comments in the context of the expected arrival of an NBA basketball franchise to Las Vegas in the coming years. Amid uncertainty over who could own the franchise, Pastner presented an alternative.
"Why buy the NBA team? But the college basketball team," Pastner said, adding that he's looking for a $10 million to $12 million backer to become the "owner' of the team.
While Pastner's comments drew backlash and a need for clarification, the idea of owning a college team in these days is not entirely out of the realm of possibility. Many schools are now setting up third-party corporations to run their athletics departments more like a business.
Michigan State recently launched Spartan Ventures, a new nonprofit corporation, with a for-profit arm, created to run the busine
ss side of the school's athletics department more like a private company.
