Louisville basketball will be at Players Era 2026 in 16-team bracket

TL;DR

Louisville basketball will compete in the 2026 Players Era tournament in Las Vegas, featuring a 16-team bracket. The event offers $1 million in NIL compensation for participants and is broadcast exclusively by ESPN.

Key points

Louisville basketball will participate in the 2026 Players Era tournament
The tournament features a 16-team bracket
It offers $1 million in NIL compensation to participants
ESPN is the exclusive broadcast partner
More details on the bracket and schedule will be announced soon

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We've known since last September that Louisville basketball was going to be part of the 2026 Players Era, a Thanksgiving week tournament held in Las Vegas that rose to prominence by offering $1 million in name, image and likeness compensation to participants — and additional money to the winner.

On Thursday morning, ESPN revealed what programs will be joining Pat Kelsey's Cardinals at the event:

Alabama
Baylor
Creighton
Gonzaga
Iowa State
Kansas State
Maryland
Miami
Michigan
Oregon
St. John's
San Diego State
TCU
Tennessee
Texas Tech

More specifics, including an official bracket and schedule, will be announced in the weeks to come, ESPN said in a news release Thursday. It has agreed to a multi-year deal to become the exclusive broadcast partner of the event.

The Players Era is expanding to 24 teams in 2026 after hosting 18 in 2025. Louisville is part of the Players Era Sixteen, while the following eight teams will convene in Las Vegas the week of Nov. 16:

Auburn
Florida
Houston
Kansas
Notre Dame
Rutgers
UNLV
West Virginia

In total, that's 13 teams coming off appearances in last season's NCAA Tournament — and 10 that are ranked in ESPN's way-too-early top 25 for 2026-27.

One noteworthy change for 2026: The Players Era is moving to a bracket-play format. Last year, teams were given two scheduled games and had their third opponent determined by record and scoring margin.

Q&A

What teams are participating in the 2026 Players Era tournament?

The tournament will feature teams including Louisville, Alabama, Baylor, Gonzaga, and others.

What is the Players Era tournament and when will it take place?

The Players Era tournament is a Thanksgiving week event in 2026, held in Las Vegas, focusing on college basketball.

How much NIL compensation will players receive at the Players Era tournament?

Participants in the Players Era tournament will receive $1 million in name, image, and likeness compensation.