Players Era Tournament 2026

[CoachHines3]

Iowa State is scheduled to play in the upcoming Players Era Tournament for 2025, but 2026 sounds like it's going to be a 32 team tournament style event with NIL payouts. Sounds like all teams that are participating in 2025 will also participate in 2026. If so, that's big time for Iowa State.

Players Era Festival intends on expanding to 32 teams in 2026 to create 'November madness' tournament event

The NIL-based event already includes the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas, Michigan, St. John's, Tennessee and many more

www.cbssports.com

 

[Messi]

Iowa State is scheduled to play in the upcoming Players Era Tournament for 2025, but 2026 sounds like it's going to be a 32 team tournament style event with NIL payouts. Sounds like all teams that are participating in 2025 will also participate in 2026. If so, that's big time for Iowa State.

Players Era Festival intends on expanding to 32 teams in 2026 to create 'November madness' tournament event

The NIL-based event already includes the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas, Michigan, St. John's, Tennessee and many more

www.cbssports.com

while this is great for players, NIL and fans watching on TV or making trip

this does not bode well for good non-con home/home matchups for season ticket holders

 

[CoachHines3]

while this is great for players, NIL and fans watching on TV or making trip

this does not bode well for good non-con home/home matchups for season ticket holders

agreed. Iowa State fans really gripe about their home non-con sched and rightfully so, BUT i'll counter with we still get great matchups in conference.

I don't have season tickets so i'm on the outside looking in and, personally would like to just see more high profile matchups in general. Home/away/neutral. If this is what it takes to be competitive in NIL and marketed on a national brand then so be it. I'd sacrifice 1 big non-conf home game for it. We aren't going to get more than 1 big non-conf game at home, usually.

 

[Messi]

agreed. Iowa State fans really gripe about their home non-con sched and rightfully so, BUT i'll counter with we still get great matchups in conference.

I don't have season tickets so i'm on the outside looking in and, personally would like to just see more high profile matchups in general. Home/away/neutral. If this is what it takes to be competitive in NIL and marketed on a national brand then so be it. I'd sacrifice 1 big non-conf home game for it. We aren't going to get more than 1 big non-conf game at home, usually.

we are blessed to be in the yearly MTE with great teams and ive been fortunate to attend some of those MTES. Shoot, i may go to Vegas

but what makes CBB great is the home and home matchups and until ISU hosts Purdue in 2026, we will have played zero high major teams in Hilton under Otz that were not contractually obligated

 

[Cyhig]

Great for the players. Great opportunity to play quality teams. But I wish the NIL was actually about "NIL" and not a pay for play system. I'm sure I'm in the minority, but that's fine. Different topic for a different day. I'm getting old, so I will even yell at the clouds!!

 

[mharder]

Traveled to Maui in ‘18 and ‘24 for the tournament. I have absolutely zero interest in traveling to Vegas.

 

[Hubbs4cy]

Great for the players. Great opportunity to play quality teams. But I wish the NIL was actually about "NIL" and not a pay for play system. I'm sure I'm in the minority, but that's fine. Different topic for a different day. I'm getting old, so I will even yell at the clouds!!

I guess this is at least better than promising someone large amounts of money if they transfer to your school. It's part of an event to showcase the individual talent and there are actual branding deals happening off the court.

 

[syclonefan]

while this is great for players, NIL and fans watching on TV or making trip

this does not bode well for good non-con home/home matchups for season ticket holders

We know we have Iowa in ‘25 and Purdue in ‘26 at home, which is what we’ve typically scheduled under TJ. Basically 1 non-con P5 game at home each year, so not much really changes.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

Traveled to Maui in ‘18 and ‘24 for the tournament. I have absolutely zero interest in traveling to Vegas.

Yeah. I wonder if it will fuel the "Big 12 MBB tournament should be in Vegas" tripe from the western schools in the Big 12? Really don't want to make Vegas a regular spring trip. I'm glad they are keeping it in KC for at least 6 more years. After that, well...I may be too decrepit to worry about traveling to tournaments!

 

[TitanClone]

That would be great, not going this year because of Ireland eating my fun money but would likely go in 26.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

The Players Era Festival and Acrisure Series are pretty much going to kill traditional MTEs.

Too many incentives to not go every year once you get your foot in the door.

 

[JP4CY]

Anyone going?
I'd like to but the dates/time details are pretty non existent.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Yeah. I wonder if it will fuel the "Big 12 MBB tournament should be in Vegas" tripe from the western schools in the Big 12? Really don't want to make Vegas a regular spring trip. I'm glad they are keeping it in KC for at least 6 more years. After that, well...I may be too decrepit to worry about traveling to tournaments!

I'd be happy tossing them the FB CCG as a compromise.

Dallas (really Arlington, TX) isn't anything outstanding in that regard.

But the BB tournaments leaving KC would be a tragedy.

 

[Clonehomer]

Yeah. I wonder if it will fuel the "Big 12 MBB tournament should be in Vegas" tripe from the western schools in the Big 12? Really don't want to make Vegas a regular spring trip. I'm glad they are keeping it in KC for at least 6 more years. After that, well...I may be too decrepit to worry about traveling to tournaments!

I hope not. Vegas has gotten crazy expensive even if you don’t hand them money gambling. There should be a decree that KC is the permanent location. Give Vegas the football game since UT left.

 

[BryceC]

The Players Era Festival and Acrisure Series are pretty much going to kill traditional MTEs.

Too many incentives to not go every year once you get your foot in the door.

Okay? No offense but I’ve been to a lot of these MTE’s and oftentimes they are in crappy little gyms. If we’re gonna do this, let’s do it all the way.

 

[Cydkar]

Great for the players. Great opportunity to play quality teams. But I wish the NIL was actually about "NIL" and not a pay for play system. I'm sure I'm in the minority, but that's fine. Different topic for a different day. I'm getting old, so I will even yell at the clouds!!

No chance that you are in the minority.

 

[Messi]

Okay? No offense but I’ve been to a lot of these MTE’s and oftentimes they are in crappy little gyms. If we’re gonna do this, let’s do it all the way.

thats kinda what makes those MTEs great, imo
watching high major basketball in a high school gym or ball room with 2k people

my hope is that the Maui, Atlantis, Charleston, etc. can figure out a way to incorporate NIL into their events

 

[ImJustKCClone]

I'd be happy tossing them the FB CCG as a compromise.

Dallas (really Arlington, TX) isn't anything outstanding in that regard.

But the BB tournaments leaving KC would be a tragedy.

Now there's a thought! What's the weather in Vegas like in early December...or do they have a dome there?

I have to say that sitting in that dome last year was a really weird experience for me...and as a person who deals with asthma, pyrotechnics inside a dome is really tough to sit through.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Now there's a thought! What's the weather in Vegas like in early December...or do they have a dome there?

I have to say that sitting in that dome last year was a really weird experience for me...and as a person who deals with asthma, pyrotechnics inside a dome is really tough to sit through.

Looks like high-30s at night and up to 70 during the day. Practically ideal for the time of year. And yes, the Raiders’ stadium is indoors.

 

[t-noah]

Iowa State is scheduled to play in the upcoming Players Era Tournament for 2025, but 2026 sounds like it's going to be a 32 team tournament style event with NIL payouts. Sounds like all teams that are participating in 2025 will also participate in 2026. If so, that's big time for Iowa State.

Players Era Festival intends on expanding to 32 teams in 2026 to create 'November madness' tournament event

The NIL-based event already includes the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas, Michigan, St. John's, Tennessee and many more

www.cbssports.com

I feel better now. No money issues now!