Las Vegas to Inject $3.65M in NBA Cup and College Football

Las Vegas is getting ready to host the Emirates NBA Cup this December and bring back the Kickoff Classic from 2027–2030, drawing thousands of visitors and hotel stays courtesy of a massive funding roundImage Source: Shutterstock.com

Las Vegas is reiterating its leading position as a premier sports destination, with tourism leaders giving the green light to millions in funding to bring major events to the city. 

Namely, the official destination marketing organization that promotes “tourism, conventions, meetings and special events” in Southern Nevada, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), is ready to commit $3.65 million toward hosting two big events. 

The first one is the NBA’s midseason tournament that will unfold this December. The second one is the revival of the popular college football kickoff games from 2027 through 2030.

$1M Reaching the Emirates NBA Cup

The Emirates NBA Cup will return to T-Mobile Arena from December 14–16, marking the third straight year the league has staged its semifinals and finals in Las Vegas. 

LVCVA will contribute $1 million as part of an important sponsorship deal aimed at providing “advertising, marketing, and hospitality opportunities before, during, and after the event,” as explained by Brian Yost, the authority’s chief operating officer. 

Last year’s tournament, that had the game between the eventual 2025 NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder and the Milwaukee Bucks as a headliner, attracted over 17,300 out-of-town fans and nearly 19,000 hotel stays. 

The championship game alone, that ended with the Bucks’ victory, drew 2.99 million TV viewers on ABC. Next year, the semifinals and finals will be streamed on Prime Video.

$2.65M Injected in LV Kickoff Classic Series

College football is also getting ready to make a spectacular comeback. Following a short 2025 and 2026 hiatus, the Las Vegas Kickoff Classic at Allegiant Stadium will return starting Labor Day weekend in 2027 under a new four-year deal with ESPN Productions. 

LVCVA will pump $2.65 million across the series, with funding staggered from $1 million in 2027 down to $350,000 in 2029 before rising again in 2030.

Organizers say the games are expected to draw more than 290,000 visitorsand generate over 215,000 hotel room nights during the four-year stretch. “Labor Day, Las Vegas, College Football – it’s the perfect trifecta to celebrate the start of the season,” commented Clint Overby, ESPN’s vice president of events.

Last year’s game between USC and LSU attracted close to 59,000 fans to Allegiant Stadium, with roughly 9 out of 10 of attendees being from out of town, as per data from the Las Vegas Stadium Authority.

The lineup has already been set. In 2027, Miami will face Utah, while powerhouse programs North Dakota State and Montana State square off. BYU will meet Oregon State in 2028, followed by Montana versus South Dakota State in 2029. 

The 2030 matchup will reunite Texas Tech and Arkansas in a renewal of their regional rivalry. “Two regional rivalries involving national programs will help fill our upcoming slate of games,” believes John Saccenti, who oversees the Vegas Kickoff Classic. With both college football and the NBA spotlighting Las Vegas, officials see sports as a powerful way to defeat the current tourism slump and keep the city buzzing with visitors and stadiums packed with fans.