Dana Altman discusses initially dragging feet on NIL, how Players Era Festival in Las Vegas helps Oregon collective

The 2024-25 season is one of change for Oregon men’s basketball. Before the program opens its first-ever Big Ten slate, it will take part in the inaugural Players Era Festival, an early-season tournament in Las Vegas that’s centered around giving student-athletes a chance to engage in NIL activities.

Players Era is an NIL company, and the Players Era Festival will provide “more than $1 million in NIL opportunities outside of competition,” according to a release last month.

“Well, it’s a new concept, and it’s changing our game,” Oregon head coach Dana Altman said, via Big Ten Network, Thursday at Big Ten Media Days in Rosemont, Illinois, when asked about NIL and, specifically, the Players Era Festival.

“But I’ve had to adjust. I drug my feet on it a little bit. I had to realize if I was going to stay in the game that I had to adjust. And NIL is a big part of it. None of us have unlimited funds, and so being part of this tournament helps our collective. We were able to give our players extra money because of the tournament, and it’s just the reality of where the game’s at today.”

Altman, now in his 15th year leading the Ducks, continued: “And, as I mentioned, I drug my feet on it for a couple years, but it is what it is. I knew if I was going to stay in the game for a while that I had to adjust, and our program had to adjust, our collective, everyone. So it’s part of the game now, and we look forward to the challenge of playing three really good teams: Texas A&M, San Diego State, Creighton. It’s a good tournament. Vegas is easy for us to travel to, so it’s a good situation for our program.”

Oregon will face Texas A&M on Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 4:30 p.m. EST. Then the Ducks will play San Diego State on Wednesday, Nov. 27, at 4 p.m. They’ll wrap things up in Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena with a 9:30 p.m. game against one of Altman’s former teams, Creighton, on Saturday, Nov. 30.

The Ducks have won 20 or more games every year of Altman’s tenure. He led them to an Elite Eight appearance in 2015-16 and a Final Four appearance in 2016-17. Since, they’ve made it back to the Sweet 16 twice (2019 and 2021).

Oregon is coming off a 24-12 campaign, during which it finished fourth in the Pac-12 and made the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament.

The Ducks added a handful of transfers this offseason: guards Ra’Heim Moss (Toledo) and TJ Bamba (Villanova, and Washington State before that) and forwards Supreme Cook (Georgetown, and Fairfield before that) and Brandon Angel (Stanford). All four of them are upperclassmen with four-star transfer portal prospect ratings, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

“There’s a lot of tradition in the Big Ten,” Altman said, reflecting on the conference transition. “Obviously, the Pac-12 had some tradition: UCLA, Arizona, we had some good programs. We’ve had a good stretch. But the Big Ten, with Indiana, Michigan State, Michigan, Purdue, there’s a lot of tradition over here, and so we’re excited about that, and we’re excited to be involved with that.

“[Michigan State head coach] Tom [Izzo] and I were just talking about the trips, those five road trips in January, February and March. We’re not used to having weather problems, so that may disrupt our travel a little bit more. But no, it’s a big change for us, but [it’s] one our fans are looking forward to, and our program is also.”