A new college basketball tournament in Las Vegas will reportedly allow players to cash in on their name, image, and likeness. The tournament will feature eight teams from the NCAA’s top conferences, each receiving $1 million to distribute among players. Participating programs include Alabama, Houston, Notre Dame, Oregon, Rutgers, San Diego State, and Texas A&M.
The NCAA now allows players to transfer once without sitting out a season, resulting in an increased number of player transfers. This shift has led players to prioritize monetization when deciding where to play, over playing opportunities or facilities. NIL deals for basketball and football players have reportedly reached the millions, following the NCAA’s decision to allow sponsorship deals in 2021.
These changes represent a significant departure from the NCAA’s previous stance on amateurism, which strictly prohibited players from signing sponsorship deals. The organization favored a “collegiate model” of amateurism but recent developments have shifted toward allowing players to benefit financially from their name, image