New local TV network to showcase UNLV sports

UNLV sports will be getting more TV exposure because of a new local network created by KVVU-TV.

The Fox 5 subsidiary is called Silver State Sports & Entertainment Network and will concentrate on sports other than football and men’s basketball. The network is broadcast on channel 5.2 and Cox Cable 125.

“I think it’s great for our exposure, especially for many of our Olympic sports that haven’t had a broadcast avenue outside of streaming,” women’s basketball coach Lindy La Rocque said. “The UNLV fans who live in Vegas now have an easy way to follow along when they can’t physically make it to a game. And I think we’ll pick up some new fans, who may have only seen football or men’s hoops before, to be proud of what our teams accomplish.”

More than 100 UNLV home events will be televised. That includes men’s basketball and football games not picked up by network TV.

“So we’re giving air time to sports that usually don’t get it,” KVVU vice president and general manager Michael Korr said.

The network launched in mid-June, and its current content includes past college football games, including from the Mountain West, as well as automotive programming. It will televise 12 games involving historically Black colleges and universities this season.

One or two football games and a handful or men’s basketball games will be televised, but sports such as the baseball team will benefit most.

“That will be a great deal for us and the community, especially since we have so many local kids the community can relate to,” baseball coach Stan Stolte said. “Sometimes (fans) can’t get out to the game and would still be able to watch.”

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.