Oregon Men’s Basketball Joins Unprecedented NIL-Driven Las Vegas Tournament: Report

Oregon men's basketball is reportedly joining an NIL-driven non-conference basketball tournament in Las Vegas that could create $1 million in name, image, likeness payout for the Ducks players.

Bri Amaranthus | May 8, 2024

Mar 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dana Altman talks with guard Jackson / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

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Oregon Ducks

Oregon men's basketball is reportedly joining an NIL-driven non-conference basketball tournament in Las Vegas that could create $1 million in name, image, likeness payout for the Ducks and each of the other eight teams who participate.

The Players Era Festival basketball tournament has seven schools committed for three years, according to a report by CBS Sports.

The NIL compensation is the driving factor as players can earn major payouts plus earn long-term future contracts.

The tournament plans to be held on November 26th, 27th, and 29th at T-Mobile Arena, MGM Garden Arena, and the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.

Teams committed along with Oregon, via the report: Alabama, Houston, Notre Dame, Rutgers, San Diego State and Texas A&M. The eighth and final team will be decided on in the coming weeks.

Mar 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dana Altman talks with guard Jackson / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Players Era Festival tournament looks to expand to 16 teams, as early as 2025, per CBS. Interested teams in 2025 include: Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Michigan, Syracuse and Virginia.

On the cutting edge, University of Oregon’s Division Street NIL collective has implemented a uniquely effective program to bring the best talent possible to Eugene.

"Coming in the fall, we can facilitate deals for student-athletes and our multimedia rights partner can facilitate deals so it’s rapidly changing,” said Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens on John Canzano’s podcast. “We’re going to be able to be more involved in a direct connection and facilitation of deals.”

Oregon coach Dana Altman’s 2024 squad is taking shape after major additions last week.

The Ducks added highly-sought after guard TJ Bamba from the transfer portal. The 6-foot-5 guard had stops at Villanova and Washington State before becoming a Duck.

Bamba becomes Coach Dana Altman’s third transfer portal commitment alongside Ra'Heim Moss and Brandon Angel.

Moss and Bamba are poised to compete for the starting guard slot left open by Jermaine Couisnard's graduation, aiming to make an immediate impact in a fiercely competitive conference.

The Oregon Ducks basketball program is entering their inaugural season in the Big Ten Conference. The Ducks know which conference opponents they will play and their team

Published May 8, 2024

BRI AMARANTHUS

Bri Amaranthus is an Emmy-winning sports reporter with over 12 years of experience in television, radio, podcasting, and digital sports journalism. She has been with Sports Illustrated for four years, providing breaking news, exclusive interviews, and analysis on the NFL, college sports, and the NBA. Prior to joining SI, Bri hosted NBC Sports Northwest's prime-time television show, where she also served as the Oregon beat reporter and created content covering both the NBA and college sports. Throughout her career, Bri has achieved significant milestones, including covering major events like the NBA Finals, NFL playoffs, College Football Playoff, NCAA Basketball Tournament, NFL Draft, and the NFL Combine. She earned a D1 scholarship to play softball at the University of San Diego and won two state softball titles in high school in Oregon. In addition to her Emmy win for NBC's All-Star Coach special, she has received multiple Emmy nominations, highlighting her dedication and talent in sports journalism.