LV Bowl may play role in UNLV’s new conference

Steve Carp

Friday, June 26, 1998 | 9:03 a.m.

One of the keys to success for the new conference UNLV has agreed to be a part of will be the league's ability to align itself with as many football bowl games as possible.

The Las Vegas Bowl figures to be one of several games the yet-to-be-named league hopes to be locked into come 1999. And while nothing has been determined at this point, it appears there will be a courtship between the two entities that likely will result in a marriage.

The new league has been meeting via a weekly organizational conference call. One of its early objectives will be to sign a television deal for football and basketball and secure as many bowl tie-ins as it can.

The Las Vegas Bowl selection committee will meet in early July to discuss this year's game, which is set for Dec. 19 at Sam Boyd Stadium. But what role the new league will play in the Las Vegas Bowl also will be on the agenda.

"I think having a conference affiliation along with an open-ended (berth) is the best and most effective way to go," Rossi Ralenkotter, the vice president of marketing for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said. "A lot of conferences already have tie-ins so you have to see who's out there."

As things stand, the Western Athletic Conference will participate in this year's Las Vegas Bowl. The WAC has not had discussions with the LVCVA for 1999 or beyond.

And that's where the new league comes in. The eight schools which are leaving the WAC, including UNLV, offer some attractive possibilities for the Las Vegas Bowl. When there's a chance that Brigham Young, Utah, New Mexico, Air Force or San Diego State could be in the game, that supports the LVCVA's strategy of bringing in teams that travel well.

"One of our objectives is to bring people to town the third week in December, which is traditionally a slow time of the year in the city," Ralenkotter said. "Last year, we had about 17,000 visitors for the game (Oregon-Air Force) and if we can bring 20-25,000, that will help us with our mission of what we want to do."

Time appears to be on both sides. The new conference may not be ready to seriously negotiate until August or September. The LVCVA is working on this year's game, so there's no rush to solidify an agreement for 1999.

"I would think we can start talking seriously by then," Ralenkotter said.

UNLV athletic director Charles Cavagnaro, who serves on the eight-member transition committee for the new league, said things can get done by then.

"We obviously need time, but late August, early September is a reasonable time frame," he said. "But the LVCVA won't be the only people we'll be talking to. My guess is we'll be talking to the Holdiay Bowl, the Cotton Bowl, the Insight.com and the new Aloha Bowl simultaneously.

"Obviously, bowls are the lifeblood of the football programs, so you want as many tie-ins for your league as possible."

Las Vegas Stars general manager Don Logan, who is a member of the Las Vegas Bowl selection committee, said a lot will depend on what the schools in the new league can offer.

"I don't think you can do better than the LVCVA has done in trying to make this work," Logan said. "I think it takes a better sales job by the schools. But I think having an affiliation with the new league doesn't hurt us."

Logan said with the demise of the WAC championship game after this year, the Las Vegas Bowl should be an easier sell.

"The tough thing for the bowl was having it so close to the WAC championship," he said. "Though the timing is good for Las Vegas, it's sometimes tough to sell the game locally. That won't be a problem once the bowl game is by itself."