College Basketball Crown Returns to Vegas with NIL Stakes and Power Programs Battling for $500K

LAS VEGAS — The college basketball season here has one more event left to play.


The College Basketball Crown returns to town April 1-5 at the MGM Grand Garden and T-Mobile Arena with eight teams playing for $500,000 in Name Image and Likeness (NIL) funding.

Baylor, Colorado, Rutgers, Creighton, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Stanford and West Virginia are this year’s field. Nebraska, last year’s winner, used the Crown as a catalyst to return to the NCAA Tournament this season.

In a time when NIL funding is vital to a program and creative means are sought to secure dollars, the Crown provided an opportunity for schools to pick up some much-needed funds. The winning school receives $300,000.

The event will be televised on FOX Sports and FOX Sports 1. The quarterfinals on April 1-2 will be played at the Grand Garden with the April 4 semifinals and April 5 championship game at T-Mobile Arena.

Of the eight participants, only Colorado is a returning program for this year. Unlike in 2025, which saw 16 teams participate, only eight schools are involved this year.

For Rutgers, it is a second trip to Las Vegas this year. The Scarlet Knights participated in November’s Players Era Championship.

The quarterfinal matchups have Oklahoma (19-15) facing Colorado (17-15) and Baylor (16-16) taking on Minnesota (15-17)  on April 1. The April 2 quarterfinals have Stanford (20-12) meeting West Virginia (18-14) and Creighton (15-17) against Rutgers (14-19). The quarterfinal winners are guaranteed $50,000 in NIL funding. The April 4 semifinal winners each receive $100,000.

In addition, there will be a Crown Fan Fest on April 3 at Circa Las Vegas.