Lobo hoops notebook: UNM clears $4 million in ticket revenue; Olen comments on two recent signings

Lobo men’s basketball has once again been a hot ticket in recent years.

As average home attendance has climbed back into the Top 25 and is again leading the Mountain West, a packed Pit has meant good news for the bottom line.

According to figures provided to the Journal after a records request, UNM expects to close the books on men’s basketball ticket revenue for the 2024-25 season at $4.05 million.

Based on a review of data reported by the school each year to the NCAA, this will be the first time the school has cleared the $4 million mark in a decade (the last time was in 2016) — a long road back from a handful of seasons clearing the $4 million mark before attendance started dropping, not only at UNM, but nationwide.

“In the ever-evolving landscape of college athletics, it’s exciting to see our men’s basketball program continue to grow and lead in such a significant way,” UNM Athletic Director Fernando Lovo told the Journal.

“Breaking the $4 million mark in ticket revenue reflects the strength of Lobo Basketball, the incredible passion of our fans, and the national relevance of our historic program. It’s a testament to the tradition, energy and momentum surrounding this program.”

The Lobos averaged 13,051 fans over 17 home games this past season, which ranks 24th among 364 Division I programs, according to data available on NCAA.org.

While the money from television contracts — which are driven by college football — is driving the bus in college athletics, UNM’s struggle to get football to turn the corner on the field, or at the gate, has made it even more important for Lobo basketball to maintain its profitability.

UNM’s budget projection for men’s basketball this fiscal year was $3.75 million. Its projection for football was $1.05 million — a figure it expects to hit, but has not yet closed the books on all sales from last fall.

Two more signings

Though they announced their own commitments over the past two weeks, it wasn’t until Thursday that UNM officially confirmed the signings of two more new Lobos, 7-foot-1 Iowa State transfer J.T. Rock and 6-6 Division II transfer Luke Haupt from Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego.

Rock was a four-star, Top 100 ranked recruit who left high school a year early and enrolled at the Big 12 school at the age of 17. He redshirted one season and played sparingly in his freshman season before announced he was transferring to UNM on April 22.

“J.T.’s combination of size and skill level makes him an ideal fit in our system,” said head coach Eric Olen in the news release sent out by UNM on Thursday. “His best basketball is ahead of him, and we’re excited to help him get there. Lobo fans will love getting to know J.T. on and off the court.”

Rock added, “UNM was the right place for me because of the style of play that Coach Olen and the staff are bringing in. They expressed to me how they thought my skillset would fit within their system well.”

Haupt was a two-time NABC All-West District selection at Point Loma in San Diego, leading his team to a pair of D-II Sweet 16s. He is the son of one of the winningest high school coaches in Southern California history, Mike Haupt, who has more than 630 wins at St. Augustine High, where Luke graduated.

“Luke’s versatility, experience, and basketball IQ will have an immediate impact on our program from Day One,” said Olen. “His ability to contribute on both ends of the floor and play multiple positions aligns perfectly with our philosophy of position-less basketball. We are excited to welcome Luke and his family to the Lobo family.”

Added Luke Haupt, “I chose New Mexico for the high-level competition, elite fan base, and genuine people at the university. I am excited to be a Lobo and can’t wait to get to work.”

The Lobos are up to 10 scholarship players who have either verbally committed or signed to enroll at the university for the 2025-26 season.