Full Breakdown
Players Era Men’s Championships Expand to 24 Teams and Move to ESPN
5/7/2026, 11:37:47 PM
Core Event: Expanded field, new format, and broadcast deal
The 2026 Players Era Men’s Championships will feature 24 Division I programs split into two early-season brackets in Las Vegas, Nevada. The “Players Era Eight” will play the week of Nov 16, while the “Players Era Sixteen” will run over five days during Thanksgiving week. All 37 games will be televised exclusively on ESPN networks under a multiyear rights agreement announced in May 2026. The tournament adopts a single-elimination bracket for both brackets, replacing the previous round-robin style used in 2024–2025.
Background & Context: From eight to twenty-four teams
The Players Era Festival debuted in 2024 as an eight-team event with a guaranteed $1 million NIL payout per participant. It expanded to 18 teams in 2025, still broadcast by TNT Sports, and introduced a point-margin tiebreaker to determine third-place matchups. In 2026 the field grows to 24 teams, the format shifts to bracket play, and ESPN replaces TNT as the exclusive broadcast partner. The event has become a marquee non-conference showcase, drawing top programs from the Big 12, SEC, ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12.
Key Figures & Groups
- Seth Berger, CEO of Players Era (EverWonder Studio) – primary spokesperson for the tournament’s growth.
- Ian Orefice, CEO of EverWonder – leads the partnership with ESPN.
- Dan Margulis, ESPN Senior Director of College Basketball Programming & Acquisitions – oversees broadcast integration.
- Big 12 Conference – contributes eight of the 24 teams through a joint venture extending to 2030.
- Participating schools include recent national champions Michigan and Florida, as well as Gonzaga, Alabama, Baylor, Creighton, Kansas, Kansas State, Louisville, Maryland, Miami, Oregon, San Diego State, St. John’s, TCU, Texas Tech and UCLA-affiliated programs.
Data & Statistics
- Total teams: 24 (8 + 16).
- Average NIL participation payout: just over $1 million per school; Kansas receives the highest amount.
- 13 of the 24 teams qualified for the 2026 NCAA Tournament; 10 are ranked in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25.
- 2025 viewership on TNT averaged 322,000 viewers, peaking at 1.1 million for the Michigan-Gonzaga final.
- The tournament will award an additional $1 million to the champion and $500,000 to the runner-up (as in 2025).
Official Statements & Responses
Players Era CEO Seth Berger emphasized the tournament’s growth, noting that “college basketball is the hottest and one of the fastest-growing sports properties in the country” and that the field now includes “top programs from multiple conferences.” EverWonder CEO Ian Orefice highlighted the ESPN partnership as a platform to “engage with fans across the country.” ESPN’s Dan Margulis described the event as “elite programs, meaningful competition and high-stakes matchups” that strengthen the network’s college-basketball portfolio.
Criticism & Opposition
Reports indicate that Players Era has been late in distributing NIL payments to some schools, specifically Oregon, UNLV, and Iowa State. Analysts also note that the tournament’s expansion may diminish the appeal of other historic non-conference events such as the Maui Invitational and Battle 4 Atlantis.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on exact payout structures: some state a uniform $1 million per team, while others report variable amounts with Kansas receiving the largest share and an average “slightly north of $1 million.” Detailed brackets, ticket pricing, and exact broadcast schedules remain undisclosed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “College basketball is the hottest and one of the fastest-growing sports properties in the country. The players have never been better, and record ratings for early season college basketball reflect that. Led by top programs from multiple conferences across the sport, the teams in our field are stronger than ever. We can’t wait to bring March to November with the number one college basketball network in the world, ESPN.” — Seth Berger, Players Era CEO
- “EverWonder CEO Ian Orefice said, “We couldn’t be more excited to forge this new partnership with ESPN, which will deliver an even larger platform for what has become the best college basketball tournament outside of March and create new opportunities to engage with fans across the country.” — Ian Orefice, EverWonder CEO
- “These tournaments immediately strengthen ESPN’s industry-leading college basketball portfolio and underscores our commitment to showcasing the best teams and storylines across the sport.” — Dan Margulis, ESPN Senior Director
- “We couldn’t be more excited to forge this new partnership with ESPN, which will deliver an even larger platform for what has become the best college basketball tournament outside of March and create new opportunities to engage with fans across the country. I also want to thank TNT Sports for giving us the opportunity to launch this signature showcase event; they have been outstanding partners over the past two years and played a tremendous role in our success.” — Ian Orefice, EverWonder CEO
- “CBS reports that Players Era will “pay some schools more than others to participate” and that the average payout is “slightly north of $1 million, according to the event organizers,” with Kansas receiving the largest share.” — CBS Sports report
What’s Next
The exact matchups and ticket sales dates will be released in the coming weeks. The expanded format is expected to influence scheduling decisions for other early-season tournaments and may affect NIL negotiation strategies for participating programs throughout the 2026-27 season.