Breaking: The first big NIL event of the” Mark Pope To attend the New Era event To….
Some of the details are still up in the air, but the first major UK men’s basketball NIL event of the Mark Pope era is just around the corner, and the deadline to be a part of it is this week. Kentucky will hold it’s “New Era” event on Saturday, June 15, and — while the exact time and location for the UK men’s basketball showcase have not yet been revealed — there is a promise of a meet and greet with Pope, his assistant coaches and the new Wildcats players, plus opportunities for photos with the UK team members, free food and giveaways. The event will be accessible only to those who join the UK Athletics-affiliated “Club Blue” NIL initiative, however, and fans wishing to attend must subscribe to one of the men’s basketball packages by 11:59 p.m. Wednesday to receive an invitation to the gathering. Pope, who was hired last month as the Wildcats’ new head coach, has participated in multiple videos recently asking fans to sign up for the NIL packages. “This is a great opportunity for you to engage with your team as we chase banners,” Pope said in a video earlier this month announcing the Club Blue initiative. “And I’m thrilled about the opportunity to connect with you. There is no better fan base in America. Club Blue basketball is your ticket to exclusive experiences, engagements and opportunities throughout the year. We’re working to build something special, and your support is the catalyst we need.”
Club Blue is a department-wide drive that has specific subscription groups for men’s basketball, football, women’s basketball, baseball and several other sports. Pope has billed the New Era gathering next month as the first “meet and greet” with the new Kentucky roster. The Wildcats’ men’s basketball players typically arrive on campus around the first of June for summer classes and the start of offseason preparation.
To attend the New Era event, fans must sign up for one of the Club Blue men’s basketball packages by the Wednesday deadline. There are several subscription tiers, including the “Pope $41” subscription, which features monthly giveaways, a Club Blue swag bag, a $15 voucher to the Club Blue store and an “exclusive print” featuring the new UK coach, who wore No. 41 during his playing days at UK. The other tiers range from the Pioneer package ($25 per month) to the GOAT package, which costs $500 per month.
Since taking the job, Pope has secured 10 commitments for next season, adding transfers Koby Brea, Lamont Butler, Andrew Carr, Brandon Garrison, Kerr Kriisa, Otega Oweh and Amari Williams, as well as incoming freshmen Collin Chandler, Trent Noah and Travis Perry. UK is still expected to add to its 2024-25 roster, with former BYU guard Jaxson Robinson, who played the past two seasons under Pope, and North Florida guard Chaz Lanier among the possible additions in the coming weeks. Both of those players are going through the NBA draft process, and the deadline to pull out of the draft is set for May 29. Pope has not expounded much on his approach to NIL in interviews since accepting the UK job last month, though the subject did come up during his introductory press conference in Rupp Arena on April 14. “Let me say something about NIL,” he said then. “It is more than just cash. It is building a future and contributing to a community. And doing that right takes a lot of effort. And I can go into hours and hours of conversations on that.” #BBN, you heard @CoachMarkPope Become a Club Blue Men’s Basketball member today by signing up with the link below so you don’t miss out on the first ever meet and greet with the new @KentuckyMBB team! The deadline to sign up is May 15th: https://t.co/GqBFTpYA8r pic.twitter.com/3jQE5eZZE5 — CLUB BLUE (@ClubBlueNIL) May 9, 2024 READ NEXT UK MEN’S BASKETBALL One detail of the Calipari era especially irked UK basketball fans. Will Mark Pope fix it? MAY 07, 2024 6:30 AM READ NEXT UK MEN’S BASKETBALL He’s the most intriguing UK basketball newcomer. ‘We could be seeing a big-time player.’ MAY 09, 2024 6:30 AM READ NEXT UK BASKETBALL RECRUITING ‘Elite shooter’ Trent Noah joins UK. Mark Pope likes in-state star’s ‘special physicality.’ MAY 08, 2024 4:47 PM READ NEXT UK MEN’S BASKETBALL Mark Pope has been praised for his first UK basketball roster. He still has one huge need. MAY 06, 2024 6:30 AM READ NEXT UK MEN’S BASKETBALL This UK basketball roster took a weird turn. ‘I’m very intrigued,’ says analytics expert. MAY 03, 2024 6:30 AM READ NEXT UK MEN’S BASKETBALL Nate Oats took a subtle dig at Kentucky basketball during Final Four week. He isn’t wrong MAY 10, 2024 6:30 AM READ NEXT UK BASKETBALL RECRUITING UK basketball’s 2024 recruiting class came undone. Here’s what happened to each player. MAY 08, 2024 7:59 AM BEN ROBERTS 859-429-2848 Ben Roberts is the University of Kentucky men’s basketball beat writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader. He has previously specialized in UK basketball recruiting coverage and created and maintained the Next Cats blog. He is a Franklin County native and first joined the Herald-Leader in 2006. Support my work with a digital subscription Take Us With You Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. LEXINGTON HERALD LEADER APP VIEW NEWSLETTERS SUBSCRIPTIONS Start a Subscription Customer Service eEdition Herald-Leader Now Vacation Hold Pay Your Bill LEARN MORE About Us Contact Us Newsletters Archives Sports Betting Personal Finance ADVERTISING McClatchy Advertising Place an Ad Place a Classified Ad Place an Ad – Celebrations Place an Obituary Staffing Solutions Political | Advocacy Advertising Part of the McClatchy Media Network COPYRIGHT PRIVACY POLICY YOUR PRIVACY CHOICES COOKIE PREFERENCES TERMS OF SERVICE
