Why top college basketball teams are flocking to the Players Era tournament

LAS VEGAS — The Players epoch boldly announced its intentions last year to be the premier early season college basketball tournament destination, guaranteeing at least $1 million in name, image and likeness money to each of the eight participating teams.

Now in its second year, the Players Era that begins Monday is undeniably the place to be, having blown by the Maui Invitational and other such events with a field loaded with teams that could be playing deep into March.

Half of the 18-team field is in The Associated Press poll, including No. 2 Houston and No. 7 Michigan. The inaugural women's field is smaller in numbers, but three of the four schools — No. 2 South Carolina, No. 3 UCLA and No. 4 Texas — are in the top four of the Top 25.

“You look at the teams in this field, and it’s high level everywhere you turn," Michigan men's coach Dusty May said. "Every night is a challenge. Testing ourselves early to see where we are will be rewarding.”

The Houston men's team is back for the second year in a row, and the Cougars' decision to play in last year's inaugural event persuaded other teams to commit. Houston went on to play for the national championship, coming within a possession of cutting down the nets.

Why are the Cougars back in Las Vegas? It's pretty simple.

“They’re giving us $1 million,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. "That’s why we’re there, and I would say that’s why all the teams are there. We didn’t sign up for this to have a tournament where we could play each other. We signed up for this because they’re giving us $1 million. If they decided to put a court down at some vacant lot and they’d give us $1 million, I’d go play there, too.

“It saves us from having to go ask somebody else for the money. There is a thing called donor fatigue.”

For organizers, the key was backing up their promises that they could pay the teams while at the same time not breaking the bank. They won't release financial details, but event co-founder and former AND1 CEO Seth Berger said organizers “are really happy with” where the tournament stands from a financial standpoint.

“I think the most important thing that the teams had to know from last year that, one, Players Era could operate a first-class event ... And we did,” Berger said. “The second thing was the promises that we made to the athletes that we were going to bring guaranteed NIL opportunities and actually fulfill the obligations and pay the kids for the NIL activations were going to be true.”

He said not only have teams bought in, but so have their supporters, with ticket sales seven times higher than last year.

“They're insanely amazing,” Berger said. “I literally am not overstating it.”

The Maui Invitational was for many years the prime destination for such events, and there would have been a time in the not-too-distant past that a team wouldn't have dreamed of backing out.

But that's what UNLV did in February. The Runnin' Rebels went from playing in paradise to staying home on "the ninth island," a title given to Las Vegas because of the heavy influx of Hawaiians.

Teams certainly don't go to Maui for the money. It often is a net loss for those making the trip, but the payoff is the tropical experience and competing in a field full of ranked teams. This year, No. 25 N.C. State is ranked in this year's eight-team field that begins play Monday, and Southern California is the only other team even receiving votes.

Attempts to reach an official at the Maui Invitational for comment were unsuccessful.

Like Maui, Las Vegas can sell the atmosphere to teams as well as the money and the strength of the field.

“Man, I'm super excited,” Michigan preseason All-American Yaxel Lendeborg said. “Just being able to play in Vegas in general is amazing. It's like playing in New York.”

Las Vegas will use two venues — MGM Grand Garden Arena and Michelob Ultra Arena — that are about a five-minute drive apart on the Strip.

The men's part of the event begins with prescheduled games Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday, the championship and third-place game will take place, with other teams competing in consolation games that day and on Thanksgiving.

The women play two semifinals Wednesday, with the title and consolation games on Thursday.

“I think everybody looked at this week when it came out and went, ‘Whoa, what an opportunity,’” UCLA women's coach Cori Close said. “I don't have to work very hard to motivate .”

Sports Writers Larry Lage in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Kristie Rieken in Houston contributed to this report.

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