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TopCy

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Jun 15, 2021
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Alright, I'm sorry if this has already been discussed a lot and I missed it, but I'm still confused about the Player's Era format.

The Player's Era website just makes it sound like everyone will play two games and then, magically, 2 teams will be selected for the championship game. If you go to ncaa.com, it says "All 18 men's teams will play on Monday, Nov. 24 and Tuesday, Nov. 25 in pre-set matchups, which will determine the championship matchups on Wednesday, Nov. 26. Teams that finish 2-0 entering Wednesday will be the first to qualify for the Players Era Championship game and the third place game, with 1-1 teams to follow. Tiebreakers will be determined by point differential, points scored and points allowed. All men's games on Wednesday and Thursday will be determined following Tuesday's final game."

So the two 2-0 teams with the highest point differential will play for the championship? I feel like that's a disadvantage to defensive-first teams like ISU.
I'm sure I'm overthinking it and just need to accept that it's a "festival" and not really a tournament. I just think it's weird that you could go 3-0 and not be the "champion."
 
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I feel like this is above my pay grade. I'm not in the know with this one.
 
TopCy said:
Alright, I'm sorry if this has already been discussed a lot and I missed it, but I'm still confused about the Player's Era format.

The Player's Era website just makes it sound like everyone will play two games and then, magically, 2 teams will be selected for the championship game. If you go to ncaa.com, it says "All 18 men's teams will play on Monday, Nov. 24 and Tuesday, Nov. 25 in pre-set matchups, which will determine the championship matchups on Wednesday, Nov. 26. Teams that finish 2-0 entering Wednesday will be the first to qualify for the Players Era Championship game and the third place game, with 1-1 teams to follow. Tiebreakers will be determined by point differential, points scored and points allowed. All men's games on Wednesday and Thursday will be determined following Tuesday's final game."

So the two 2-0 teams with the highest point differential will play for the championship? I feel like that's a disadvantage to defensive-first teams like ISU.
I'm sure I'm overthinking it and just need to accept that it's a "festival" and not really a tournament. I just think it's weird that you could go 3-0 and not be the "champion."
Click to expand...
Exactly this. It is an opportunity for Iowa State to play three games against high quality teams. Don't get too worked up on who finishes "first," but rather the focus is on how Iowa State plays vs these teams

Heck, the same sentiment could be had for traditional holiday tournaments
 
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TopCy said:
Alright, I'm sorry if this has already been discussed a lot and I missed it, but I'm still confused about the Player's Era format.

The Player's Era website just makes it sound like everyone will play two games and then, magically, 2 teams will be selected for the championship game. If you go to ncaa.com, it says "All 18 men's teams will play on Monday, Nov. 24 and Tuesday, Nov. 25 in pre-set matchups, which will determine the championship matchups on Wednesday, Nov. 26. Teams that finish 2-0 entering Wednesday will be the first to qualify for the Players Era Championship game and the third place game, with 1-1 teams to follow. Tiebreakers will be determined by point differential, points scored and points allowed. All men's games on Wednesday and Thursday will be determined following Tuesday's final game."

So the two 2-0 teams with the highest point differential will play for the championship? I feel like that's a disadvantage to defensive-first teams like ISU.
I'm sure I'm overthinking it and just need to accept that it's a "festival" and not really a tournament. I just think it's weird that you could go 3-0 and not be the "champion."
Click to expand...
It's an event, not a tournament. Look at it as 3 quality games on a neutral floor and nothing more. Going 2-0 also means walking away with a nice check.

The current MTE rules require you to have a 'champion'. That requirement goes away next year.
 
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Cyhig said:
Exactly this. It is an opportunity for Iowa State to play three games against high quality teams. Don't get too worked up on who finishes "first," but rather the focus is on how Iowa State plays vs these teams

Heck, the same sentiment could be had for traditional holiday tournaments
Click to expand...
Yep, could well have a reasonably successful tournament at 1-2 or wildly successful at 2-1
 
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This podcast goes into quite a bit of detail on all aspects of the tournament, but they do talk about how this MTE differs from others and how it works.

At the 35:30 mark they begin talking about the process of determining the 3rd game for each team.

 
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intrepid27 said:
Any idea on what the payout is? Also, does that money go to schools? players? both?
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Google says every team is guaranteed 1 mil, and the winner gets 2 mil, given to the NIL i think.

@brentblum, does this payment affect the RevShare, or how does that work?
 
RagingCloner said:
Google says every team is guaranteed 1 mil, and the winner gets 2 mil, given to the NIL i think.

@brentblum, does this payment affect the RevShare, or how does that work?
Click to expand...
I don’t know all the nuts and bolts candidly but any money Iowa State receives for this goes directly to the school and is part of the revenue sharing salary cap from what I understand.
 
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RagingCloner said:
Google says every team is guaranteed 1 mil, and the winner gets 2 mil, given to the NIL i think.

@brentblum, does this payment affect the RevShare, or how does that work?
Click to expand...

One would hope if there's a 100% increase in payment to whichever team is dubbed the "champ", there would be a bit more of a formal structure and bracket.

Fun either way, and great competition for all involved, but just pay every team the same, and give the honorary champion team some extra swag and a trophy.
 
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Yeah it is odd. If Bama beats UNLV by 20 it doesn't mean they are better than ISU beating St Johns by 4. The margin of victory at least needs a strength of schedule. Although I feel like TV gets worked into this mix more than anything.
 
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I don't have enough time or interest to watch the podcast, but do wonder how the match-ups were decided.
 

2025 Players Era Festival participating teams, tournament format​

The 18-team field is split into two groupings, based on venue. Each team will play two games and get seeded accordingly within their pool, with tiebreaking criteria based on record, head-to-head result, and point differential. Going 2-0 might not guarantee a spot in the championship or third-place games, since margin-of-victory will be a large factor.

The top-seeded teams from each group will play each other in the Nov. 26 championship game, while the runners-up from each pool will compete in the Nov. 26 third-place game.

There will be various consolation games for all other teams Nov. 26-27.

MGM Grand Garden Arena teams​

  • Alabama
  • Gonzaga
  • Houston
  • Kansas
  • Maryland
  • Notre Dame
  • Rutgers
  • Syracuse
  • Tennessee
  • UNLV

Mandalay Bay-Michelob Ultra Arena teams​

  • Auburn
  • Baylor
  • Creighton
  • Iowa State
  • Michigan
  • Oregon
  • San Diego State
  • St. John's
 
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16 team format is confusing enough

God knows how next years 32 team format will work.
 
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