Before moving to Allegiant Stadium, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Rebels football team played its home games at Sam Boyd Stadium.
UNLV's Former Home: Sam Boyd Stadium
Sam Boyd Stadium served as the primary home field for the UNLV Rebels football program for several decades. Located in Whitney, Nevada, just outside Las Vegas, this multi-purpose stadium was where the Rebels played their home games from its opening until their transition to the state-of-the-art Allegiant Stadium.
UNLV had been in the market for a new stadium to replace Sam Boyd Stadium since at least 2011, as the university recognized the need for an updated facility to support its athletic programs. This long-standing search for a modern venue eventually coincided with the Las Vegas Raiders' pursuit of a new home. Raiders owner Mark Davis's visit to Las Vegas on January 29, 2015, to tour potential stadium sites and meet with local figures, was a pivotal moment in the development that would ultimately lead to Allegiant Stadium becoming a shared home for both the NFL franchise and UNLV football.
Sam Boyd Stadium Details
Sam Boyd Stadium was a notable landmark in the Las Vegas sporting community. Beyond UNLV football, it hosted a variety of events, including the annual Las Vegas Bowl, motor sports events like Monster Jam, and numerous concerts.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Whitney, Nevada (near Las Vegas) |
| Opened | 1971 (initially as Las Vegas Stadium) |
| Renamed | 1984 (to Sam Boyd Silver Bowl), 1994 (to Sam Boyd Stadium) |
| UNLV Tenure | 1971 – 2019 (played its last game there in November 2019) |
| Capacity | Approximately 35,500 (expandable) |
| Primary Use | UNLV Rebels Football, Las Vegas Bowl, various other events |
The move to Allegiant Stadium represented a significant upgrade for UNLV football, providing them with a modern, indoor, and climate-controlled environment, along with access to top-tier facilities that were not available at their long-standing home, Sam Boyd Stadium.
