UNLV and the University of Houston have similar challenges filling up seats at football games.
Many college football teams play in the same city as NFL teams, which results in fans showing up for the games on Sundays instead of Saturdays. That is why the country’s biggest college football markets are in places with no NFL, including Georgia, Alabama, and Oregon.
“You see a very common trend around SEC schools and other Universities that are in college towns — obviously, some people would think that having less people in the population is a negative, and on the upfront, that might be true, but on the flip side being in a smaller city with less other major sports and other marketing demands that pull of people’s interest around that city or town,” University of Houston Alumni Keneth Priesmeyer said.
The hill is more steep for both schools because Houston and Las Vegas have big markets for high school football. The University of Houston is near North Shore High School, ranked No. 8 in the country by Max Preps, and UNLV is in the same town as No. 2 Bishop Gorman.
Priesmeyer sees the impact the surrounding football has on attendance at Couger games.
“The major professional sports are definitely competition, and there are so many different elements of interest like tourism components that takes from market demand for physical attendance,” Priesmeyer said. “While it’s great for the city as a whole, it is also a double-edge sword for the University of Houston.”
After the 2022 season, the UNLV Football program hired Barry Odom as the team’s head coach. The hire was a slam dunk by Athletic Director Eric Harper, resulting in the Rebels making its first bowl game in a decade.
UNLV filled up Alligent Stadium during Odom’s first season, and many people assumed it was because the team won. While winning did bring fans to the games, Odom’s community engagement played a significant role in making Las Vegas residents UNLV Football fans.
It all started with Odom’s introductory press conference, where he made it a point of emphasis to recruit out of Las Vegas. As a former SEC coach, he recruited a championship-caliber team with a combination of local talent with players from where he previously coached.
Odom has become a public figure in the city of Las Vegas, doing a weekly radio show at a local Las Vegas tavern and riding a bull in front of an audience at the South Point Hotel.
Win, lose, or draw, Odom’s connection to the community of Las Vegas off the field has boosted the attendance at UNLV Football games. The University of Houston made a coaching hire with a similar result in Willie Fritz.
Fritz faced an upward battle being hired in Dec. 2023 by a team that finished 4-8 last season. The Cougars struggled with attendance in the 2023 campaign, and Houston also lacks funding compared to other teams in the BIG 12.
When he got the job, Fritz prioritized winning games and engaging with the Houston community. According to Daily Couger Sports Editor Camryn Alberigo, he helped move the incoming freshman students into the dorms.
Despite disappointing last season, the Cougars jam-packed its home opener against UNLV. Over 6,600 students claimed tickets for the game, more than any game in 2023.
“When the coaching staff and University caters to the city, the city is very receptive,” Houston Alumni Amnon Tipping said.
The Houston Cougars will have more growing pains with the adjustment to the BIG 12, but they will have the Houston community in full support and along for the ride.
