Absolutely hate the decision from the NCAA that you can play 32 without an MTE. That exemption was put in for a reason but the NCAA gonna NCAA.
Players Era
- Thread starter TopCy
- Start date
Wouldn't be shocked if ESPN has a hand in who gets invites going forward. Lots of teams signed two year deals last year and this would be the second year. With Duke Amazon getting ESPN blessing, I'm wondering if them joining for 27/28 was the concession.
Those year plus Gonzaga, Louisville, and Alabama should be ranked to start the year. Good opportunity to play some solid teams.
Just please no Oregon, Maryland, or any Big12 team
Somehow the bracket will break where the Cyclones get Maryland first round, Creighton second round (after they beat Oregon), a Big 12 team in 3rd round, and then championship finally play one of the top teams and lose a close game. Go 3-1 on the week, and do nothing for "strength of schedule/metrics/Quad 1A wins
If my memory serves me correct, haven’t we only lost one game on our pre conference schedule in the past two seasons? Would have been Auburn in in Maui championship game I believe. If I am correct, that’s pretty damn impressive when you think about it. I know the pre conference schedule wasn’t the best in the 2023-24 season, but there are not too many teams that can say they are like 24-1 pre conference the past two years. I could be wrong.
A little surprising the Tournament went with ESPN and ditched TNT. The Big 12 is part owner of this event, and the Big 12 and TNT are getting more cozy.
I’d imagine the sale to Paramont will affect the direction of TNT sports going forward.
The only regular season non-conference games of the TJ era to end in a loss were...
2021-2022 = undefeated
2022-2023
11/27/2022 neutral site (Portland) against UConn
12/08/2022 at Iowa (remember the game where Filip Rebraca had the game of his life?)
01/28/2023 at Missouri
2023-2024
11/24/2023 = Virginia Tech in Kissimmee (ugh the MTE that went totally pear-shaped eh?)
11/26/2023 = Texas A&M in the same event (somehow gave away a 21-point lead ugh)
2024-2025
11/25/2024 = the now legendary Auburn in Maui game (still gave up an 18-point lead)
2025-2026 = undefeated
...and that's it. Six total in five seasons. Only 1.2 non-con losses per year.
Is the Players Era contractually obligated to provide a certain level of compensation? The vague details of payouts for this year seems like a bad omen. I don’t know how you agree to a contract with no guarantees of what the payouts are. What is this, LIV golf?
I'D rather go to Maui. We won't be attending this one. They're going to have to prove themselves to me because last fall was such a cluster****.
If you don't gamble and rarely drink, ain't much of interest to us in Vegas. We're not city folk. I'd rather go snorkeling.
Nah, LIV Golf had real money behind it when it started...
Players era related as half the teams mentioned in this rumored event are players era participants
This has the feel of the rich get richer.
Kentucky, UNC, Kansas, Michigan, UConn in discussions with big new blue blood-laden college basketball event
The 'Diamond Cup,' a new eight-team event, is being prepped for 2027, but can it come together as planned?
www.cbssports.com
Kentucky, UNC, Kansas, Michigan, UConn in discussions with big new blue blood-laden college basketball event
The 'Diamond Cup,' a new eight-team event, is being prepped for 2027, but can it come together as planned?
www.cbssports.com
Looming Players Era complications
The potential inclusion of Michigan, Kansas, Gonzaga and Arizona in the Diamond Cup will complicate another huge November event: The Players Era Tournament. The Players Era poached from other events; will it suffer a similar wound and lose some of its biggest schools? It's a major dangling thread that has stalled the Diamond Cup's progression over the past few months.Michigan has a three-year contract with that event. Year 3 would be in 2027-28 — the first year of the Diamond Cup. The Wolverines have an opt-out clause in their contract, should another event offer to pay more than Players Era, but at the same time, Players Era also has the chance to match the payout, sources said.
If 2027-28's first iteration of the Diamond Cup is only two games, the issue could be avoided altogether if the Diamond Cup is staged to start the season. But if those two games are around Thanksgiving, which is the plan as of now, then something will have to give, as the Players Era event (which is now two separate tournaments and 24 teams total) is staged in and around Thanksgiving as well.
Kansas is the highest-paid team in Players Era and is a part of the Big 12, like Arizona is. The league has a five-year contract with Players Era and will slot eight of its schools into the 24-team field in the years ahead. Would the Big 12 be OK with having its two biggest schools annually participating in the Diamond Cup but not being involved in Players Era? One source said Kansas carved in some opt-outs, if necessary, with Players Era and that it's possible for future workarounds.
Gonzaga is also currently on board to play in 2027 with Players Era, but because MTE rules and regulations have changed, there is a scenario in which Gonzaga could play in the eight-team Players Era tournament the week before Thanksgiving and then in the Diamond Cup surrounding Turkey Day.
