‘Play in the parking lot of Mandalay Bay’: Texas A&M men’s basketball team reportedly competing in lucrative NIL tourney

“There’s not a decision we make that’s not NIL-driven. I’ll play in the parking lot of Mandalay Bay, just clear the f***ing check.”

On a week that we will be giving thanks later this year, the Texas A&M men’s basketball team will reportedly be competing in a lucrative regular season tournament held in Las Vegas.

According to a report from CBS Sports, the Aggies are 1-of-8 teams that have agreed to play in the “Players Era Festival” that will offer $1 million in NIL payouts.

“If there are events where there’s an extraordinary amount of money involved, and there’s no donor fatigue involved in this, how do you not play in this?” one coach told CBS Sports. “There’s not a decision we make that’s not NIL-driven. I’ll play in the parking lot of Mandalay Bay, just clear the f***ing check.”

The eighth team is still to be determined. Per CBS Sports, the other teams are: Alabama, Houston, Notre Dame, Oregon, Rutgers and San Diego State.