The Cox name is gone from UNLV's on-campus arena, with the university confirming that its long-running naming-rights agreement quietly expired this year. For the first time since the building opened nearly 25 years ago, the venue will be listed simply as "The Pavilion" while athletics officials hunt for a new sponsor. UNLV Director of Athletics Erick Harper said naming-rights deals remain a key revenue stream and that the department is actively working to land a fresh partner before the next academic year.
How the deal evolved
The corporate partnership dates back to the late 1990s, when Cox agreed to put its name on the then-new on-campus venue in a multimillion-dollar deal initially reported at about $5 million, according to Sports Business Journal. The agreement did not stay static for long. It was renegotiated and amended several times, with paid extensions in 2005 and 2012 and a 2017 arrangement that carried naming rights through 2024 while trading branding for Wi‑Fi equipment and support, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
UNLV eyes a new partner
"Naming rights deal ended and we're working on a new rights opportunity," Harper said, summing up the situation in a statement that was short on drama but clear on intent. He told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that UNLV hopes to have a new naming-rights partner in place by the next academic year. Cox Communications did not respond to the newspaper's request for comment, the Review-Journal reported.
What the Pavilion hosts
The Pavilion is a compact, multiuse venue that seats roughly 3,000 fans and serves as the home court for UNLV's women's basketball and volleyball programs, according to UNLV. The building also gets national and regional attention as a site used during the NBA Summer League and as a setting for concerts, boxing and other campus events. That steady traffic, paired with its intimate size, helps explain why athletics officials are determined not to leave potential naming-rights money on the table for facility support and upgrades.
Where naming rights fit into the bigger picture
Naming-rights partnerships have long been a go-to revenue tool for college athletic departments, often blending cash payments and in-kind services to help fund construction and improvements. That model was already clear when the original Cox deal was struck, as Sports Business Journal documented at the time. UNLV officials say they plan to pursue a similar arrangement now that the Cox agreement has lapsed, leaving The Pavilion without a corporate name on the marquee, at least for the moment.
