Sixteen major colleges have committed to participate in a two-tournament event in honor of Nike co-founder Phil Knight's 80th birthday, according to a report on ESPN. The two tournaments, each consisting of eight teams, would take place in
Portland, Ore. during a four-day period in November, 2017. Knight's
80th birthday is Feb. 24, 2018.
The 16 Nike-sponsored schools include Michigan State, Kentucky, Duke and North Carolina, Ohio State, Florida, Connecticut, Georgetown, Texas, Oklahoma, Stanford, Oregon, Xavier, Butler, Gonzaga and Portland.
Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis, who came up with the idea,
told ESPN.com that Knight and Nike weren't involved in the planning.
Hollis sent an e-mail to various athletic directors to gauge interest,
and soon got 16 commitments. ESPN has expressed interest in broadcasting
the event, he said.
