The Players Era Festival — a rapidly growing early‑season college basketball showcase — has upped the ante on name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation for participating teams and players. According to event CEO Seth Berger, the winner of the men’s championship game between Michigan and Gonzaga stands to earn an extra $1 million in NIL funds. Even the runner-up won’t walk away empty handed: the losing side will receive $500,000, making this contest the first “$1.5 million game” in college basketball history.
But the generosity doesn’t stop there. In the third-place game, the winner will be awarded $300,000 and the loser $200,000. Meanwhile, all 18 teams taking part this year are being guaranteed “over $1 million on average” in NIL compensation — provided they fulfill activations such as marketing, social‑media posts and other promotional obligations tied to the event.
Players Era, now in its second year, has swelled from its initial eight‑team format to 18 men’s teams and added a women’s bracket as well. Organizers plan to expand to a 32‑team field by 2026, cementing the event’s place among the most prominent non‑NCAA‑tournament basketball showcases in the country. With huge payouts and high‑profile matchups, Players Era is demonstrating just how much college basketball compensation — and college sports more broadly — is changing under the evolving NIL landscape.