UNLV Runnin' Rebels To Adjust Seating Arrangements At The Thomas & Mack Center

The changes come after a survey of season ticket holders and declining attendance at home games.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The UNLV Runnin' Rebels men's basketball team is planning to make several seating changes at the Thomas & Mack Center starting in the 2026-2027 season. The changes include swapping the home and away team benches, moving the band across the court, expanding the student section, and designating new reserved seating areas.

Why it matters

UNLV has seen declining attendance at home games in recent years, prompting the team to survey season ticket holders and make adjustments to the seating layout. These changes aim to improve the game-day experience and attract more fans to support the Runnin' Rebels.

The details

The planned changes include swapping the home and away team benches, moving the band across the court to be behind the visitor's basket during the second half, expanding the student section, and designating new reserved seating areas. No existing season ticket holders will be forced to move, but those who want to relocate due to the bench changes will be able to do so based on Rebel Athletic Fund priority points and donation levels.

  • The seating changes will take effect starting with the 2026-2027 season.

The players

Josh Pastner

Head coach of the UNLV Runnin' Rebels men's basketball team.

UNLV Runnin' Rebels

The men's basketball team of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Thomas & Mack Center

The home arena of the UNLV Runnin' Rebels men's basketball team, located in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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What they’re saying

“This was an eye-opening experience for me. I did every media obligation there is. I spoke to any group that wanted me to speak... Every single second of my mindset was selling the program... We walk out on the court, and there's probably about 1,000 people in the stands. I knew this was going to be a rebuild. But then I recognized it was going to be a bigger rebuild than I thought.”

— Josh Pastner, Head Coach (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

What’s next

UNLV will be using Rebel Athletic Fund priority points and donation levels to prioritize requests from season ticket holders who want to relocate their seats due to the bench changes.

The takeaway

UNLV is taking proactive steps to address declining attendance at Runnin' Rebels home games, including adjusting the seating layout and expanding the student section. These changes aim to improve the game-day experience and attract more fans to support the team.