2025 Players Era Festival: Schedule, teams, TV channels for the college basketball event

After launching the Players Era Festival in 2024 with eight men’s teams, the college basketball event has expanded to 18 men’s teams and four women’s teams. Last year, Oregon took home the championship, downing Alabama 83-81 in the title game. 

All 18 men’s teams will play on Monday, Nov. 24 and Tuesday, Nov. 25 in pre-set matchups, which will determine the championship matchups on Wednesday, Nov. 26. Teams that finish 2-0 entering Wednesday will be the first to qualify for the Players Era Championship game and the third-place game, with 1-1 teams to follow. Tiebreakers will be determined by point differential, points scored and points allowed. All men’s games on Wednesday and Thursday will be determined following Tuesday’s final game. 

As for the women’s matchups, which feature three of the 2024 Women’s Final Four teams, they will play in semifinal matchups on Wednesday, Nov. 26, with the championship and third-place game set for Nov. 27 on Thanksgiving Day. 

Players Era Festival: Schedule, how to watch

All times ET. Games are at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.

*All games will be streamed on HBO Max

Men’s Players Era schedule

• Monday, Nov. 24
  • Tennessee vs. Rutgers, 1 p.m. | TNT
  • Baylor vs. Creighton, 2 p.m. | truTV
  • Kansas vs. Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m. | TNT            
  • St. John’s vs. Iowa State, 4:30 p.m. | truTV       
  • Houston vs. Syracuse, 6 p.m. | TNT               
  • Oregon vs. Auburn, 8 p.m. | truTV                  
  • Alabama vs. Gonzaga, 9:30 p.m. | TNT               
  • Michigan vs. San Diego State, 10:30 p.m. | truTV
  • Maryland vs. UNLV, 12 a.m. | TNT
• Tuesday, Nov. 25
  • Rutgers vs. Notre Dame, 1 p.m. | TNT
  • Iowa State vs. Creighton, 2:30 p.m. | truTV
  • Kansas vs. Syracuse, 3:30 p.m. | TNT                   
  • St. John’s vs. Baylor, 5 p.m. | truTV                   
  • Houston vs. Tennessee, 6 p.m. | TNT             
  • Michigan vs. Auburn, 8:30 p.m. | TNT
  • Gonzaga vs. Maryland, 9:30 p.m. | truTV
  • Oregon vs. San Diego State, 11 p.m. | TNT       
  • Alabama vs. UNLV, 12 a.m. | truTV                    
• Wednesday, Nov. 26
  • Third-Place Game, 7 p.m. | TNT
  • Championship Game, 9:30 p.m. | TNT

Additional men’s matchups will air Nov. 26 and Nov. 27 based on the first two days of competition.

Women’s Players Era schedule

• Wednesday, Nov. 26
  • Texas vs. UCLA, 2 p.m. | truTV
  • Duke vs. South Carolina, 4:30 p.m. | truTV

Thursday, Nov. 27

• Thursday, Nov. 27
  • Championship Game, 8 p.m. | truTV
    Third-Place Game, 10:30 p.m. | truTV