The Players Era Tournament Heads to ESPN With a New Format

KNOXVILLE, TENN. - The biggest early-season event in college basketball just got a major new home and the Tennessee Volunteers are invited back.

College basketball’s most ambitious non-conference event is making a significant leap. ESPN has acquired the broadcast rights for the 2026 Players Era Tournament, which will once again be held in Las Vegas, with the two parties jointly announcing the multi-year media rights agreement.

It’s a power move for a tournament that has grown at a remarkable pace since its debut just two years ago.

From Startup to Powerhouse

The Players Era Tournamet began in 2024 with eight teams and increased to 18 teams last season, with the first two iterations broadcast on TNT.

Now under ESPN’s banner, the event is leveling up once again.

After initially lofty goals of expanding to a 32-team competition, Players Era organizers have settled on a 24-team mega event featuring separate eight-team and 16-team tournaments in November. The move to ESPN marks a new era for an event that has already disrupted the traditional college basketball nonconference scheduling calendar.

“College basketball is the hottest and one of the fastest-growing sports properties in the country,” Players Era CEO Seth Berger said. “The players have never been better, and record ratings for early-season college basketball reflect that. We can’t wait to bring March to November with the number one college basketball network in the world, ESPN.”

The Field Is Loaded

Among the most prominent teams confirmed in the 2026 field: reigning national champion Michigan, 2025 national champion Florida, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Houston, Louisville, Tennessee, St. John’s, Alabama, Miami and Kansas. These teams are all ranked in CBS Sports’ offseason Top 25.

Thirteen of the 24 teams participating were in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, making this more than just an early-season showcase, it’s a legitimate measuring stick.

Last Year’s Field: How They Played in Las Vegas and in March

One of the most compelling arguments for the Players Era’s credibility is what happened to last year’s 18-team field when March rolled around. The tournament proved to be an early-season preview of the sport’s elite, and the results speak for themselves.

• Champion Michigan Wolverines (2-0 in Las Vegas)

Michigan routed Gonzaga 101-61 in the championship game , and the Wolverines never slowed down. Michigan went on to win the 2026 national championship, their first title since 1989, under coach Dusty May. From Players Era champion to national champion — the Wolverines were the best team in the country all season long.

• Runner-Up - Gonzaga Bulldogs (2-0 in Las Vegas, lost title game)

Gonzaga reached the Players Era championship but was dominated by Michigan on the night. Their March run came to an end in the second round, when No. 11 seed Texas upset the No. 3 seeded Bulldogs, 74-68.

• Third Place - Tennessee Volunteers (2-0 in Las Vegas, lost third-place game to Kansas)

Tennessee went 2-0 in pool play, defeating Rutgers 85-60 and then knocking off No. 3 Houston 76-73 — a signature early-season win. In March, the Vols were seeded sixth and made a deep run. Tennessee upset No. 2 Iowa State in the Sweet 16, going on a 20-8 run to start the second half to seal a 76-62 victory. Their run ended in the Elite Eight, where No. 1 Michigan defeated the Vols 95-62.

• 4th Place - Kansas Jayhawks (2-0 in Las Vegas, won third-place game)

Kansas also went undefeated in pool play before winning the third-place game over Tennessee. Their March Madness journey was shorter, as No. 5 St. John’s knocked off the No. 4 seeded Jayhawks 67-65 in the second round.

• Iowa State (2-0 in pool play, lost consolation tiebreaker)

The Cyclones were one of the best teams at Players Era, going 2-0 but being edged out of the top four on margin of victory. They backed it up in March — Iowa State entered the tournament as a No. 2 seed before Tennessee eliminated them in the Sweet 16.

• Alabama (1-1 in Las Vegas)

The Tide stumbled in pool play but proved they belonged come March. Alabama made the Elite Eight, defeating Texas Tech before falling to Michigan 90-77 in the Sweet 16 round.

• Houston (1-1 in Las Vegas)

Houston split in pool play, including the notable loss to Tennessee. They made the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed but were eliminated in the Sweet 16 by

No. 3 Illinois, 65-55.

Other notable 2025 Players Era participants: St. John’s (Round of 32), Auburn (Round of 64), Notre Dame (did not qualify for NCAA Tournament), Baylor (did not qualify), Creighton (did not qualify), Oregon (defending Players Era champion, Round of 64), Rutgers (did not qualify), San Diego State (did not qualify), Syracuse (did not qualify), Maryland (Round of 64), and UNLV (did not qualify).

The takeaway? Of the teams that finished 2-0 in Las Vegas: Michigan, Gonzaga, Tennessee, and Kansas, three made the Sweet 16 or beyond. The Players Era isn’t just an exhibition. It’s a preview.

The Eight-Team Tournament (The Elite Tier)

This is the premier bracket. It is essentially a mini March Madness featuring the cream of the crop. The eight-team tournament will be held the week before Thanksgiving. Think of it as the headliner: single-elimination, familiar bracket format, and the highest-profile matchups of the early season.

The Sixteen-Team Tournament (The Thanksgiving Week Main Event)

The 16-team bracket plays during Thanksgiving week itself. With 16 teams in a traditional bracket setup, fans get five rounds of games leading to a champion. It is structured in a way fans can actually follow and fill out.

Why the Change Matters

Last year’s format was the tournament’s biggest controversy. The 2025 matchups were determined by a formula based on margin of victory, record, AP ranking, head-to-head record, points allowed and points scored and those Wednesday matchups weren’t announced until after midnight ET, drawing intense fan backlash.

CEO Seth Berger acknowledged the criticism directly:

“The reality of this is having the humility to listen,” Berger told ESPN. “That’s all it is. We thought we had come up with the right solution.”

The move to two clean brackets solves the core complaint. Casual fans associate college basketball tournaments with brackets. It’s the essence of November multi-team event basketball and what March Madness is literally built upon. By going back to basics, Players Era gives fans something they can track from day one.

The specific matchups and which teams land in which bracket haven’t been announced yet, but the structure itself is a massive improvement over what fans experienced in 2025.

What It Means for Tennessee

The Volunteers are no strangers to the Players Era stage. Tennessee competed in the 2025 edition, reaching the third-place game before falling to Kansas. Now, with a returning core and high expectations heading into the 2026-27 season, the Vols will be back in Las Vegas looking to make a deeper run.

Tennessee Basketball is on an NCAA Tournament run like it has never seen before seven straight tournament appearances, back-to-back Elite Eight trips, four Sweet 16 appearances since 2019, and never seeded lower than No. 5. Coach Rick Barnes’ program arrives at Players Era with that kind of pedigree and national respect.

The financial incentive is real, too. The average payout for all 24 schools will be slightly north of $1 million, with some schools being paid more than others to participate.

The Las Vegas Setting

The tournament takes place in Las Vegas, with games being played at MGM Grand Garden Arena and Michelob Ultra Arena during Thanksgiving week. It’s a destination event, blending elite basketball with one of the country’s most electric cities, and the ESPN platform figures to draw the largest audiences the tournament has seen yet.

The Players Era Tournament is no longer just a promising concept it’s a full-fledged institution, and its partnership with ESPN cements that status. For Tennessee fans, it’s an early November opportunity to watch the Vols test themselves against the nation’s elite on a national stage, with real NIL money on the line and March Madness implications lurking right behind it. Circle Thanksgiving week on your calendar. Vol Nation will want to be watching.