I believe top 4, but I don't know about the split between the champion vs 4th place.
Players Era
- Thread starter TopCy
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I’m fairly certain everyone is getting paid which is why we pulled out of Battle for Atlantis.
Every school participating gets $1M, but the top 4 get additional money. The format isn't fair to decide the top 4 when a lot of money is on the line.
Will update as day goes along. I find column G to be interesting and to see how it plays out for top 4.Green- 1-0 vs 1-0
Yellow- 1-0 vs 0-1
Red- 0-1 vs 0-1
Every school gets $1M-ish. They've backed off the claim that everybody is getting it. Also sounds like there's a school or two that isn't taking any money and the figures for the 'championship games' keep moving all over the place.
I kind of like it. It’s honest if nothing else…and feels like true NIL. They’re basically saying keep playing your starters and make it fun for the crowds…and we’ll reward you with the opportunity to play in the championship game and win more money. They’re basically saying also give players extra money for being involved in charitable things, signing autographs, etc. Arguably that conflicts with trying to win/being focused on the games…but it’s again at least honest. College sports are way more about money than they have ever been and not surprisingly Vegas is owning that.
I think Vegas know their money is going to come from advertising dollars…and they can promise high interest/high viewership by building it this way. It’s different…but sort of brilliant.
Everyone gets paid. each player that seems the floor gets their part of the money so if ISU gets 2 mil for being in top 4 and 10 players play then they each get 200k after game 3.
Looks like we gotta win and then have Kansas and Baylor both lose for us to get into one of the top 2 final games
To me it looks like the most likely scenario is Michigan plays either Houston or Gonzaga for the championship….and they would obviously hope for Michigan vs. Houston. That would leave Gonzaga vs. the best of KU, Baylor, or Iowa State. I’d take a game against Gonzaga in a heartbeat. Obviously would always like to play for a “championship”, but I can’t say I mind that setup.
Since this is a one year thing they really should have just paid teams for each win. And then next year when it's presumably a real bracket they can pay out the champion.
The championship game matchup is so arbitrary it is total BS. Why are we punished for playing a team that's our near equal (according to kenpom)? Will we get extra fake points for lipsey being out the last 2 minutes? Meanwhile Tennessee played a 132nd ranked rutgers so no sh!t they blew them out.
The championship game matchup is so arbitrary it is total BS. Why are we punished for playing a team that's our near equal (according to kenpom)? Will we get extra fake points for lipsey being out the last 2 minutes? Meanwhile Tennessee played a 132nd ranked rutgers so no sh!t they blew them out.
Why even get bent outta shape about it? We're gonna get paid. We're gonna get three games. And it looks like a next year invite.
I think this was setup as a way to circumvent current MTE (needs a champion) rules. I also believe things change next year to a somewhat bracket oriented format over a longer timeframe. Next year we can complain that it took too long, our matchup was bad, we got jobbed in our payout, etc., but for now just be happy that we're a part of it.
I think this was setup as a way to circumvent current MTE (needs a champion) rules. I also believe things change next year to a somewhat bracket oriented format over a longer timeframe. Next year we can complain that it took too long, our matchup was bad, we got jobbed in our payout, etc., but for now just be happy that we're a part of it.
Players Era Updates, Day 1: Big 12's huge Monday in Vegas; Iowa State's Lipsey injured in win vs. St. John's
Players Era: Iowa State surges past St. John's, Big 12 has big day in Vegas
www.cbssports.com
Norlander covers all the details going forward - I'm a fan of this Players Era Tourney.
TJ was smart (as always) to be early on this.
Yorkmark right behind scoring more $$$ for the conference.
Looks like cyclone fans can plan on Novembers in Vegas for the next 5 years!
I get that, but I think for the most part it will shake out and seem more fair after today. They’re more or less just skipping one round. At most there will be 5 undefeated teams after today. It may not be completely fair, but I think it’s reasonable for them to be able to guess who the two best teams might be…and again, it really just gives them the ability to put the two teams they want in the championship (for advertising dollars). If it were an actual championship, I’d be mad too…but I don’t think this greatly matters.
2026:
Overview
The Players Era Festival (PEF) debuted in 2024 with eight teams and is rapidly evolving. For the 2025 season, it will expand to 18 teams, and by 2026, it aims to host a groundbreaking 32-team tournament. This expansion is significant as it will fundamentally change the landscape of early-season college basketball events, providing a new high-stakes competition to kick off the season.Sporting News+1
Format
- Tournament Format: The 2026 tournament will feature a group-stage format similar to the FIFA World Cup, followed by knockout rounds. This structure allows for multiple weeks of competition, enhancing the excitement and engagement for teams and fans alike.
2 - Location: While the inaugural event was held in Las Vegas, the 2026 tournament may take place across multiple cities, with the knockout rounds likely culminating in Las Vegas.
This was the exact outcome I was cheering for, regardless of the convoluted setup.
Another dumb aspect of this format is that even if we somehow smoke Creighton without Lipsey, Baylor and the Auburn/Michigan winner will know exactly what they need to win by to finish ahead of us since we're playing first. I don't mind something coming along and replacing traditional MTEs, but it's silly they're trying to pass this off as a "championship".
Yes, the 'have to have a champion' rule goes away next year as does any maximum number of games in an MTE rule.
