MGM to Stage College Basketball Tournament in November, Dubbed November Mania
The college basketball season is set to kick off with a bang, as the Players Era November Mania is set to take place in Las Vegas from November 24-27, 2025. This high-stakes, nationally televised tournament will feature top men's and women's teams competing at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and Michelob ULTRA Arena.
The men's field will consist of an impressive 18 teams, including powerhouse programs such as Houston (2024-25 national finalist), Kansas, Alabama, Auburn, Gonzaga, Tennessee, St. John’s, Iowa State, Oregon, Creighton, Notre Dame, Rutgers, San Diego State, Maryland, Baylor, Michigan, Syracuse, and UNLV. Fifteen of these teams are ranked in early top-45 offseason rankings, and six played in last year's NCAA Sweet 16.
The women's tournament will be a four-team event, featuring Duke, South Carolina, Texas, and UCLA. Three of these programs reached the NCAA Final Four last season.
The tournament will follow a round-robin format, with men's teams playing three games over the four-day event. Teams winning their first two games will qualify for championship and third-place matchups. Seeding and advancement will be determined by point differential, points scored, and points allowed. The men's final is scheduled for Thanksgiving Day, November 28. The women’s tournament will be held on November 26-27, with its championship game on November 27.
All games from the Players Era November Mania will be broadcast on TNT, truTV, and streamed on HBO Max. The finals and consolation games for both men’s and women’s tournaments will be televised and streamed on the TNT Sports network, providing national coverage to the event.
This showcase is not only a significant event for college basketball but also a lucrative one. With over $20 million in NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) related earnings, it is the most lucrative regular-season college basketball event to date. Each participating men’s team receives $1 million in NIL compensation, with an additional $1 million prize for the tournament winner.
The Players Era November Mania builds on the success of the inaugural Players Era Festival held during Thanksgiving 2024, with ambitions to become an annual college hoops "tentpole" event in November. With its combination of top-tier competition, significant payouts, and national exposure, the Players Era November Mania is poised to become a new premier early-season college basketball event.
[1] Players Era Press Release, "Players Era November Mania Announced," 2025. [2] ESPN, "Players Era November Mania: Schedule, Teams, and Format," 2025. [3] CBS Sports, "Players Era November Mania: A New Era for College Basketball," 2025. [4] Sports Illustrated, "Players Era November Mania: The Most Lucrative Regular-Season College Basketball Event," 2025.
The upcoming Players Era November Mania tournament, taking place from November 24-27, 2025, will showcase a men's field consisting of 18 top teams, including Houston, Kansas, Alabama, Auburn, Gonzaga, and others. On the women's side, Duke, South Carolina, Texas, and UCLA will compete, with three of these teams having reached the NCAA Final Four last season.
