The premier multi-team event of Thanksgiving week is set to crown a champion on Wednesday, Nov. 26 in the Players Era Festival.
A 18-team tournament has played two full days of hoops in Las Vegas, providing early season tests to March Madness hopefuls. While it appears like a tournament, it’s far from a traditional setup with an obvious bracket that determining a champion and other placings.
Instead the format uses formula to determine if teams have a chance at the crown, meaning teams that win all three of their games may still not win the championship.
It’s caused quite a bit of confusing in the college basketball world − and brought questions as to if it’s good for the sport. With the Players Era Festival reaching its final days, here’s what to understand about it.
How Players Era tournament championship is determined
The Players Era uses standings created after every team played its first two set games on Monday, Nov. 23 and Tuesday, Nov. 24. The order is determined by:
Win/loss record
Head-to-head record
Point differential (capped at 20 points per game)
Total points scored
Total points allowed
Associated Press ranking as of Monday, Nov. 24
The tournament encourages not just winning, but winning by a lot. It is similar to how the NBA Cup determines its teams.
Players Era tournament results, standings and bracket
Players Era tournament championship, third place game
Given the criteria, the games for Wednesday match the top four teams.
Michigan vs. Gonzaga in the Player’s Era championship game
Tennessee vs. Kansas in the Player’s Era third-place game
The rest of the consolation matchups use different criteria. Most notably, the matchups are made to avoid games against teams from the same conference and avoid contests between teams that have already played or are scheduled to play each other later this season.
A majority of the consolation games will take place on Nov. 26, with the bottom four teams playing their games on Thursday, Nov. 27.
There is so confusion and frustration since not every team played the same teams or caliber of opponent. For example, Tennessee had arguably the best win of the tournament against No. 2 Houston, but the Volunteers won’t get to play for first place.
Also, Kansas gets into the third-place game despite not playing any ranked opponents, while unbeaten Iowa State was denied despite a ranked win over St. John’s.
Players Era tournament payout: How much are players paid?
Tournament CEO Seth Berger said every team in the tournament will receive ‘over $1 million on average’ in name, image and likeness compensation, although exact value remains unclear. However, those in the championship and third-place game will get a bigger prize.
Berger added the tournament winner will receive an additional $1 million in NIL compensation, while the second-place finisher gets $500,000. Third place will receive a$300,000 and the fourth-place finisher gets $200,000.
Players Era tournament schedule
Wednesday, Nov. 26
Syracuse vs. No. 13 Iowa State | 1 p.m. | TNT (Sling TV)
Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Houston | 3:30 p.m. | TNT (Sling TV)
Third-place game: Kansas vs. No. 16 Tennessee | 7 p.m. | TNT (Sling TV)
No. 16 St. John’s vs. No. 25 Auburn | 8 p.m. | truTV (Sling TV)
Championship game: No. 6 Michigan vs. No. 10 Gonzaga | 9:30 p.m. | TNT (Sling TV)
Baylor vs. San Diego State | 10:30 p.m. | truTV (Sling TV)
Maryland vs. No. 9 Alabama | 11:59 p.m. | TNT (Sling TV)
Thursday, Nov. 27
Oregon vs. Creighton | 2 p.m. | truTV (Sling TV)
UNLV vs. Rutgers | 4:30 p.m. | truTV (Sling TV)