Oregon Ducks Expected To Play In NIL Players Era Festival: $24 Million In NIL Payments

- Oregon Ducks
- Gonzaga Bulldogs
- Tennessee Volunteers
- Kansas Jayhawks
- Auburn Tigers
- Iowa State Cyclones
- Michigan Wolverines
- Syracuse Orange
- Baylor Bears
- Saint Joseph's Hawks
- St. John's Red Storm
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- San Diego State Aztecs
- Houston Cougars
- Creighton Bluejays
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Rutgers Scarlet Knights
- Texas A&M Aggies
- South Carolina Gamecocks
- UCLA Bruins
- Duke Blue Devils
- Texas Longhorns
In the first annual Players Era Festival in 2024, $9 million dollars in Name, Image, Likeness or NIL payments was split up between all the tournament participants, including the Oregon Ducks. This upcoming fall in 2025, that number is expected to increase to $24 million according to On3 and will be divided up between all the competing programs in the second annual version of this unique tournament.
The men's field will be adding the Gonzaga Bulldogs, Tennessee Volunteers, Kansas Jayhawks, Auburn Tigers, Iowa State Cyclones, Michigan Wolverines, Syracuse Orange, Baylor Bears, Saint John's Red Storm, and Saint Joseph's Hawks per the On3 report.
“TheLinkU has been a critical partner in the success of Players Era 2024, and we are thrilled to extend our collaboration into 2025. With Tennessee, Kansas, Auburn, and more top-tier universities coming on board for the men’s championship and the launch of our inaugural women’s championship tournament, the future of Players Era is bright. TheLinkU’s expertise in NIL and their support for our players will continue to elevate the tournament to new levels.”
- Seth Berger, CEO of Players Era
MORE: Los Angeles Chargers To Trade For Deebo Samuel, Pair With Justin Herbert?
MORE: Oregon Ducks Replacement Options As Junior Adams Departs For Dallas Cowboys
MORE: Oregon Ducks' Dan Lanning, A'lique Terry 'Favorites' of 5-Star Jackson Cantwell
There is no cap on the amount of teams that could be involved next season. Once again, Oregon alongside the Alabama Crimson Tide, San Diego State Aztecs, Houston Cougars, Creighton Bluejays, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, and Texas A&M Aggies are expected to return to the tournament.
“We are excited about the innovation and growth of the Players Era Festival for 2025. As the official NIL Partner, our commitment to seamless and compliant execution of NIL will continue. With 10 new teams joining along with the exciting new women’s championship, the competition is going to be more intense and thrilling than ever. We’re proud to play such an integral role in providing NIL opportunities for athletes and look forward to an even more exciting event this year.”
- Austin Elrod, TheLinkU president/founder
It was also announced that the Players Era Festival will be having their first annual women's tournament this upcoming fall in 2025. The South Carolina Gamecocks, UCLA Bruins, Duke Blue Devils, and Texas Longhorns will be headlining the field. Each program will receive $1 million in NIL for participating. Both the men's and women's festivals are set to take place in Las Vegas over the Thanksgiving weekend once again.
The Ducks were the inaugural champions of the Players Era Festival after taking down Texas A&M (80-70), San Diego State (78-68), and Alabama in the championship (83-81) back in November. Oregon had a +20 point differential in pool play.
Since going undefeated in the non-conference, it has been rough for coach Dana Altman's group in Big Ten Conference play. The Ducks have a 17-8 overall record but are 6-8 in conference play which slides them in the eleventh spot of the conference standings.
Despite Oregon's downward spiral, they still have seven Quad 1 wins on the season to go along with a No. 34 NET ranking. KenPom ranks the Ducks as the No. 39 program in college basketball with the No. 37 offense and the No. 50 defense. According to ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi, Oregon is predicted to be the West Region of the NCAA Tournament's No. 8 seed in Wichita, Kansas.