Players Era Championship teams to receive more than $1M on average in NIL compensation

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Stopping short of saying every participating college basketball team in the Players Era Championship will receive at least $1 million in name, image and likeness money, tournament co-founder Seth Berger said Tuesday the average compensation will be greater than that figure.

Sportico reported earlier in the day that not every school will receive $1 million.

“What I can tell you is that actually on average each team is getting over $1 million in guaranteed NIL compensation,” Berger said.

This is the second year of the tournament, which began Monday. Each of the eight teams that played in last year’s event received at least $1 million, organizers have said.

This year’s field includes 18 men’s teams, with a four-team women’s bracket added. Eight of the men’s teams are ranked in The Associated Press Top 25 poll and three of the women’s teams are in the top four.

Round-robin play took place on the men’s side Monday and Tuesday. The championship and third-place games are Wednesday, and consolation matchups will be that day and Thursday. The women play their semifinals on Wednesday and the championship and third-place game on Thanksgiving.

The Big 12 Conference has purchased an equity stake in the event, and the top eight teams in the standings will receive automatic bids to next year’s tournament, an agreement that goes through 2030.

The men’s field will increase to 32 teams in 2026 with four eight-team quadrants. Berger said 26 teams have committed to play next year, including all 18 competing this week.

The tournament already has become the prime early-season college basketball destination, surpassing the Maui Invitational and Battle 4 Atlantis in The Bahamas during Thanksgiving week. Berger, however, said it’s not his intention to knock those tournaments out of commission.

“First of all, I’m a college basketball fan,” Berger said. “I love Maui. I love Atlantis. Why can’t they play more college basketball tournaments in November? It’s fantastic. I hope they continue to succeed and have the impact they’ve had for years.”

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