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. | truTVThird-Place Game, 10:30 p.m. | truTV