LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Instead of watching the PAC-12 title game on TV Las Vegas residents can get ready to see it in person, and maybe for years to come! One of the major changes coming with Allegiant Stadium next year is one of the high-profile games during college football’s conference championship weekend.
Allegiant Stadium will be home to the Raiders and UNLV football, but it’s also getting a trial run at hosting the PAC-12 Conference championship game. The PAC-12 chief marketing officer likes the fit.
“Las Vegas has just been a remarkable home for major championships and for us in the PAC-12, we see it as just being a natural spot,” Danette Leighton said.
Starting next year, the stadium will host the PAC-12 football title game for the next two years.
The conference says Las Vegas has clear benefits, as a neutral site stadium.
“We’ve really enjoyed the great fan experience that all of our PAC-12 fans can get to Las Vegas. There are so many options for our fans,” Leighton said.
The PAC-12 already has had a successful run in Las Vegas, hosting its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority says the men’s tournament in March, brought in more than 70,000 people over four days, creating an economic impact of $21 million.
‘it’s just a natural progression in seeing how well the PAC-12 basketball tournament has done at T-Mobile Arena. It was already great before they went to T-Mobile when they we’re at MGM Grand,” TC Martin, a local syndicated sports radio host, said.
Martin says the PAC-12 moving its football game to Las Vegas was a logical step.
“The biggest problem the PAC-12 had is that the championship game hasn’t been well-attended in Santa Clara. Home of the 49ers. That stadium is too big. They’ve had it on a Friday night. Weather really hasn’t been conducive,” he said.
Martin says if it all goes well, this could open more doors to draw in the best of college football.
“in my opinion it’s only a matter of time before we get an NCAA championship game, a college football playoff game here,” he said.
