May 7 – A new college basketball event that will dole out sizable name, image and likeness (NIL) payments to participating teams has reportedly been in communication with Gonzaga about participating in its 2025 tournament, according to a report from CBS Sports on Tuesday afternoon.
The event, called “Players Era Festival”, will launch in November and will include payments of US$1 million NIL for each of its participants.
An eight-team field consisting of Alabama, Houston, Notre Dame, Oregon, Rutgers, San Diego State and Texas A&M will compete in this year’s tournament, along with another team that is yet to be determined.
Gonzaga is among a group of teams that have expressed interest in competing in 2025, when the event expands to 16, according to CBS. Other teams that have expressed a desire to play include Duke, Kansas, Syracuse, Michigan, Syracuse and Virginia.
It’s likely that Gonzaga would not be part of the tournament plans this fall because the Bulldogs have committed to playing in the Battle 4 Atlantis, which will take place Nov. 27-29 in Nassau, Bahamas.
If Gonzaga and seven other schools decide to participate in the Las Vegas tournament next fall, they will likely join the group of eight teams playing this year — most of which have signed three-year deals, according to CBS Sports sources.
According to the report, organizers are negotiating with “any or all” of the three Las Vegas-based venues – T-Mobile Arena, MGM Grand Garden Arena and Michelob ULTRA Arena – to hold the event. The tournament would likely take place Nov. 26-29, with games on the 26th, 27th and 29th, with Thanksgiving serving as the day off.
Along with schools receiving a hefty $1 million NIL payout to distribute among players, the CBS report suggests “significant additional NIL opportunities (believed to be in the region of an additional $1 million)” for the winner, or winners of the event.
Athletes would be required to participate in “multiple” off-court activities to be eligible to receive the money.
Gonzaga plays annual games in Las Vegas for the West Coast Conference Tournament, played at Orleans Arena, and the Bulldogs beat USC in a non-conference game at MGM Garden Arena last December.
The Zags have played a variety of games at T-Mobile Arena over the years, traveling to Las Vegas in 2022 for non-conference games against UCLA, Duke and Central Michigan, and returning the following season for Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games against UCLA. and UConn.
