Gonzaga emerges as potential candidate for NIL-based college basketball tournament
A new college basketball event that will distribute sizable name, image and likeness (NIL) payouts to participating teams has reportedly been in communication with Gonzaga about playing in its 2025 tournament, according to a report from CBS Sports on Tuesday afternoon.
The event, called the “Players Era Festival,” will debut in November and include $1 million NIL payouts 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 all compete in this year’s tournament, along with one other team that’s still to be determined.
Gonzaga’s among a group of teams that has shown interest in compete 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 Gonzaga wasn’t part of the tournament’s plans this fall because the Bulldogs had committed to playing in the Battle 4 Atlantis, which will take place Nov. 27-29 in Nassau, Bahamas.
If Gonzaga and seven other schools elect to participate in the Las Vegas tournament next fall, they’d likely join the group of eight teams playing this year – most of which have signed a three-year agreement, according to CBS Sports sources.
According to the report, organizers are negotiating with “any or all” of three Vegas-based venues – T-Mobile Arena, MGM Grand Garden Arena and Michelob ULTRA Arena – to hold the event. The tournament would likely run Nov. 26-29, with games taking place on the 26th, 27th and 29th, with Thanksgiving serving as an off-day.
Along with schools receiving a hefty NIL payout of $1 million to disperse among players, the CBS report suggests “additional significant NIL opportunities (believed to be in the neighborhood of another $1 million)” for the winner, or winners, of the event.
Athletes would be required to participate in “multiple” off-the-court activities to be eligible to receive the money.
Gonzaga plays annual games in Las Vegas for the West Coast Conference Tournament, held off the strip at Orleans Arena, and the Bulldogs beat USC in a nonconference game at the MGM Garden Arena last December.
The Zags have played a variety of games at T-Mobile Arena over the years, traveling to Vegas in 2022 for nonconference games against UCLA, Duke and Central Michigan, then returning the following season for Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games against UCLA and UConn.