The College of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV) rebuffed a $100,000offer from Circa Resort & On line casino to maintain quarterback Matthew Sluka on the faculty.
Circa Sports activities CEO Derek Stevens on the opening of Circa Sportsbook. His firm supplied UNLV $100,000 to persuade quarterback Matthew Sluka to remain on the faculty. (Picture: Getty Pictures)
On Wednesday, Sluka introduced that he’s going to take a seat out the rest of the 2024, redshirt, and look to switch as a result of UNLV hasn’t adopted by way of on a $100,000 title, picture, and likeness (NIL) fee. Sluka’s agent, Marcus Cromartie, instructed The Related Press the fee was promised to the participant by an unidentified assistant coach to coax Sluka into transferring to UNLV after he performed at Holy Cross in 2023.
Ever the great steward of Las Vegas, Circa CEO Derek Stevens talked it over with Vice President of Operations Mike Palm they usually figured it’d be value $100,000 to maintain Sluka in a Rebels uniform, reviews The Las Assessment-Journal. Palm reached out to the college and UNLV confirmed a dialog passed off, nevertheless it didn’t final lengthy as a result of Sluka has already moved on, in response to the newspaper.
Along with Circa, Stevens controls D Las Vegas, Golden Gate Lodge & On line casino, and Downtown Las Vegas Occasions Heart.
Good PR Transfer by Circa
Whereas it could have been higher had Circa’s effort born fruit when it comes to maintaining Sluka at UNLV, it was nonetheless a sensible by Stevens to no less than strive.
UNLV 3-0 to begin the 2024 with two of these wins coming over Massive 12 groups. Previous to Sluka’s departure, there was hope that on the again of that quick begin, the Rebels had a shot at being the Group of 5 consultant within the new expanded School Soccer Playoff (CFP).
Underneath the expanded 12-team CFP format, 5 spots are reserved for the 5 highest-rated convention champions, which means there’s a assured no less than one group from outdoors the Energy 4 makes the sphere. Consensus signifies that group would doubtless come from the Mountain West — UNLV’s convention — as a result of that league is often harder than different Group of 5 conferences.
UNLV soccer has been reborn underneath coach Barry Odom and there’s rising native enthusiasm for the group, confirming that it was sensible of Circa to no less than make a run at maintaining Sluka on the faculty, significantly with a lot on the road this season.
NIL Takes Bitter Flip
Some consultants view Sluka’s departure from UNLV as a byproduct of the NIL period and considered one of its darkest chapters thus far. Three years in the past, the NCAA authorized compensation for athletes, marking a boon for these in revenue-generating sports activities equivalent to soccer and males’s basketball.
NIL cash has been utilized by faculties to lure gamers away from rivals, explaining why the switch portal is a monster unto itself on this period of school athletics. That additionally means faculties and donors must comply with by way of on their monetary commitments to gamers, one thing Sluka mentioned didn’t occur at UNLV.
“I dedicated to UNLV based mostly on sure representations that have been made to me, which weren’t upheld after I enrolled,” Sluka wrote on X. “Regardless of discussions, it turned clear that these commitments wouldn’t be fulfilled sooner or later.”
