Kansas men’s hoops signs a five-year contract to play in the Players Era Festival through 2030-31

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has signed a five-year contract for the Jayhawks to participate in the Players Era Festival, tying one of college basketball’s storied programs to one of the more innovative, forward-thinking tournaments in the sport.

The Players Era began in Las Vegas in 2024 with the idea of funneling at least $1 million toward each participating school’s name, image and likeness fund. Oregon wound up beating Alabama in the finale of the eight-team competition.

The tournament expanded last year to 18 teams, when it went from an elimination-style tournament to a pool-based system where margin of victory mattered, and a four-team women’s event began. The Jayhawks beat Tennessee in the third-place game of the men’s event, while eventual national champion Michigan routed Gonzaga to win the championship.

Along with at least $1 million in guaranteed payouts, an additional $12 million was allocated to teams based on performance.

Now, the Jayhawks are locked into the tournament through the 2030-31 season, giving coach Bill Self’s team a marquee early-season showcase while ensuring the program has a lucrative NIL stream in an era where finances matter more than ever.

“The Players Era commitment to college basketball has been very impressive,” Self said. “They have brought in high level teams which creates great matchups during the pre-conference season. The Players Era has also produced great NIL opportunities for our players.

“Being locked in through the 2030-31 season is a reinforcement of the direction the Players Era is moving. Not only is it great for our players but it allows our fans to plan vacations to come cheer on the Jayhawks.”

The Players Era is expanding again this year to 24 teams, but it is splitting into an eight-team tournament and a 16-team event. Both will be played in Las Vegas over two weeks in November; the Jayhawks are part of the eight-team bracket along with Florida, Rutgers, Notre Dame, UNLV and Big 12 rivals Houston and West Virginia.

Michigan, Alabama, Tennessee, St. John’s and Gonzaga are among the high-profile teams in the 16-team competition.

Last year, the Players Era and the Big 12 announced a five-year deal in which the league would assume a 15% stake and guaranteed minimum annual revenues in exchange for sending at least eight teams to the tournament. The Jayhawks, Cougars and Mountaineers will be joined by Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State, TCU and Texas Tech at the tournaments this November.

“We’re grateful to have Kansas, one of the preeminent collegiate basketball programs, return for the next several years,” Players Era CEO Seth Berger said. “It’s an extraordinary testament to what we’re building here with Player’s Era — a competition that delivers an exceptional experience for both fans and student-athletes alike in an atmosphere that feels like March in November.”

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball