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College basketball’s first NIL-driven in-season tournament is officially set to be played Thanksgiving week in Las Vegas, and broadcast nationally on TNT Sports. The inaugural Players Era Festival will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Nov. 26, 27, and 30.
Eight men’s basketball programs will compete in two separate round-robin tournaments across the three days. Alabama, Houston, Notre Dame, and Rutgers will comprise the Impact Tournament, while Creighton, Oregon, San Diego State, and Texas A&M will make up the Power Tournament. All 12 games will have a March Madness feel, airing on familiar NCAA tournament channels TNT, TBS, or truTV, and also streaming on Max.
Players Era, which is an EverWonder Studio company, and TNT Sports have a multiyear deal for U.S. media rights. Supporting that pact is Publicis Sports, the dedicated U.S. sports practice within ad and PR agency Publicis Media.
Teams won’t be competing for prize money, but will each have the opportunity for its athletes to engage in more than $1 million in name image and likeness (NIL) opportunities outside of competition, during other events like autograph sessions and community and charity service. Additionally, after the tournaments, another $1 million in total NIL opportunities will be available to players. (None of the NIL money is tied to game competition, per NCAA guidelines.)
The first year of the tournament has $9 million in total NIL guarantees, organizers tell Front Office Sports, with more than $50 million expected to be shelled out over the first three years of the event. In 2025, the Players Era Festival plans to expand to 18 teams and add international-style group play and championship matchups. Baylor, Iowa State, Gonzaga, Michigan, St. John’s, and Saint Joseph’s are also committed for 2025.
Paying college athletes is one of the most important aspects of the Players Era Festival, says EverWonder Studio CEO Ian Orefice. “We believe in a new equitable model for college basketball, where the actual product creators—the players—are properly valued,” Orefice tells FOS. “This will be the single largest NIL commitment in the history of college basketball.”
Planning for the Players Era Festival has been happening for some time. Houston coach Kelvin Sampson (above) was the tournament’s “first big yes,” says Players Era CEO Seth Berger. “Once Houston committed to our event, which was around Christmas of last year, then the dominoes started falling, and other great teams wanted to be in,” Berger tells FOS. Five of the teams competing in November’s event are ranked inside ESPN’s unofficial preseason top 25.
While several media companies were interested in acquiring media rights for the Players Era Festival, signing with TNT Sports will no doubt help the tournament have a postseason allure. “March Madness is arguably one of the most special moments for college sports, but too few fans only pay attention to college basketball for those three or four weeks of March,” Orefice says. “We want to make sure they pay attention the entire year, and that’s why we’re elevating the number of teams and the quality of teams as we expand.”
After the 2025 event grows to 18 teams, adding even more is not out of the question. Players Era also has intentions to create events in women’s college basketball, as well as other sports across other seasons of the sporting calendar, too.
Editors’ note: Front Office Sports and EverWonder share the same main investor, Redbird IMI.
