UNLV Turns Away Circa Offer to Keep QB Sluka at School

Posted on: September 26, 2024, 09:32h. 

Last updated on: September 26, 2024, 09:32h.

Todd Shriber @etfgodfather Read More
Expertise: Financial, Gaming Business, Mergers and Acquisitions.

The University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV) rebuffed a $100,000offer from Circa Resort & Casino to keep quarterback Matthew Sluka at the school.

Stevens Circa
Circa Sports CEO Derek Stevens at the opening of Circa Sportsbook. His company offered UNLV $100,000 to convince quarterback Matthew Sluka to stay at the school. (Image: Getty Images)

On Wednesday, Sluka announced that he’s going to sit out the remainder of the 2024, redshirt, and look to transfer because UNLV hasn’t followed through on a $100,000 name, image, and likeness (NIL) payment. Sluka’s agent, Marcus Cromartie, told The Associated Press the payment was promised to the player by an unidentified assistant coach to coax Sluka into transferring to UNLV after he played at Holy Cross in 2023.

Ever the good steward of Las Vegas, Circa CEO Derek Stevens talked it over with Vice President of Operations Mike Palm and they figured it’d be worth $100,000 to keep Sluka in a Rebels uniform, reports The Las Review-Journal. Palm reached out to the university and UNLV confirmed a conversation took place, but it didn’t last long because Sluka has already moved on, according to the newspaper.

In addition to Circa, Stevens controls D Las Vegas, Golden Gate Hotel & Casino, and Downtown Las Vegas Events Center.

Good PR Move by Circa

While it would have been better had Circa’s effort born fruit in terms of keeping Sluka at UNLV, it was still a smart by Stevens to at least try.

UNLV 3-0 to start the 2024 with two of those wins coming over Big 12 teams. Prior to Sluka’s departure, there was hope that on the back of that fast start, the Rebels had a shot at being the Group of 5 representative in the new expanded College Football Playoff (CFP).

Under the expanded 12-team CFP format, five spots are reserved for the five highest-rated conference champions, meaning there’s a guaranteed at least one team from outside the Power 4 makes the field. Consensus indicates that team would likely come from the Mountain West — UNLV’s conference — because that league is typically tougher than other Group of 5 conferences.

UNLV football has been reborn under coach Barry Odom and there’s increasing local enthusiasm for the team, confirming that it was smart of Circa to at least make a run at keeping Sluka at the school, particularly with so much on the line this season.

NIL Takes Sour Turn

Some experts view Sluka’s departure from UNLV as a byproduct of the NIL era and one of its darkest chapters to date. Three years ago, the NCAA approved compensation for athletes, marking a boon for those in revenue-generating sports such as football and men’s basketball.

NIL money has been used by schools to lure players away from rivals, explaining why the transfer portal is a monster unto itself in this era of college athletics. That also means schools and donors need to follow through on their financial commitments to players, something Sluka said didn’t happen at UNLV.

“I committed to UNLV based on certain representations that were made to me, which were not upheld after I enrolled,” Sluka wrote on X. “Despite discussions, it became clear that these commitments would not be fulfilled in the future.”