Players Era Festival organizers have done what so many other have tried. They bet their fortunes in Las Vegas that a big payoff is coming.

Events like the Players Era Festival -- a “first-of-its-kind, NIL-driven” basketball tournament featuring some of the top programs in the nation -- could “just be the beginning” for collegiate basketball programs looking for ways to earn money to fund NIL.

Eight of the nation’s premier basketball programs are descending on Las Vegas during the traditional Thanksgiving tournament week for a unique event where real money for their school’s name, image and likeness collectives is riding on the outcome.

The holiday season is here, but the blue collar boys of Alabama basketball are still clocking in for work at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, NV.

In the days and weeks that sees the college football season ends, teams hit the hardwood for some tournament ball during the Thanksgiving holiday. While the Preseason NIT and Great Alaska Shootout no longer exist,

Notre Dame, Creighton, Oregon and Texas A&M were next. Notre Dame was scheduled to play in the Rady Children’s Invitational at UC San Diego’s LionTree Arena this week, instead triggering a $200,000 buyout clause to jump to the Players Era Festival.

Alabama basketball (4-1) and Houston are set to meet for the first time since coach Nate Oats and the Crimson Tide traveled to Texas in December 2022