• Inaugural event will feature Memphis, Oklahoma, Oregon and Oregon State

ESPN Events, in conjunction with Rip City Management and Rose Quarter, will add another early-season men’s basketball event to its lineup in 2019, with the inaugural Phil Knight Invitational (PKI). The annual event, slated to occur through 2021, will tipoff on Tuesday, Nov. 12, from the Moda Center in Portland, Ore., with Oklahoma facing Oregon State and Oregon playing Memphis.

PKI will continue to honor Nike co-founder and 2012 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Phil Knight and his contributions to college basketball.“We are excited for the opportunity to grow the PKI out of the success of the PK80,” said Clint Overby, vice president of ESPN Events. “Mr. Knight’s impact in the sport of college basketball, as well as in Portland, is immeasurable.”

“We are grateful for the opportunity to build upon the success of PK80 and partner again with ESPN Events to host the upcoming Phil Knight Invitational events at the Moda Center,” said Chris Oxley, senior vice president of business development at the Rose Quarter. “The PKI events will further the legacy of Mr. Knight’s contribution to collegiate basketball and will again bring a talent stacked roster to the Pacific Northwest.”

“I am very happy to be part of a new tradition of early season college basketball matchups with the PKI,” said Phil Knight. “We love college basketball in the Pacific Northwest and I appreciate ESPN and the Rose Quarter for making the PKI an annual event in Portland.”

Tickets will go on sale later this year, ranging from $35-$125. Information can be found at www.pkinvitational.com.

ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a large portfolio of 33 collegiate sporting events worldwide. The roster includes three Labor Day weekend college football games; FCS opening-weekend game; 15 college bowl games, 11 college basketball events, a college softball event and two college award shows, which accounts for approximately 375-plus hours of live programming, reaches almost 64 million viewers and attracts over 800,000 attendees each year. With satellite offices in Albuquerque, Atlanta, Birmingham, Boca Raton, Boise, Dallas-Fort Worth, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Montgomery and St. Petersburg, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.

ESPN Events also manages the Big 12 Corporate Partner Program.

Rose Quarter

Established in 1995, the Rose Quarter is a 30-acre sports and entertainment district located on the east bank of the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. The region is highlighted by two multi-purpose arenas, the 19,393-seat Moda Center and 12,888-seat Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Together, the venues serve as homes to the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, WHL’s Portland Winterhawks and a wide variety of concerts, family shows and other events. Founded in 1970 and purchased by the late Paul G. Allen in 1988, the Trail Blazers are the foremost resident of the Moda Center after winning the 1977 NBA Championship at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Widely known for its innovative approaches to sustainability and environmental practices, the Moda Center earned LEED Gold Recertification in 2015 after becoming the first existing professional sports venue in the world to receive LEED Gold status in 2010. The Rose Quarter also includes a large commons area, annex office building, four parking garages, signature restaurant and bar Dr. Jack’s, and easy access to the city’s robust public transportation system. For more information and a list of upcoming events, visit rosequarter.com.

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