ESPN has secured multi-year broadcast rights for Players Era games, replacing TNT which aired the event in the previous two seasons.

EverWonder CEO Ian Orefice expresses enthusiasm about the ESPN partnership and notes TNT Sports as a previous launcher of the event.

Last year’s format featured two preliminary games per team, with outcomes based on overall records and score differentials rather than head-to-head brackets.

Florida’s participation is seen as a chance to set early expectations for the season and influence national perception and rankings.

TNT Sports invested heavily in production during its two years as lead broadcaster, treating Players Era with extensive on-site coverage and shoulder programming.

Florida will take part in the Players Era Tournament in Las Vegas the week of mid-November, matching up in an eight-team bracket that includes Houston, Kansas, Auburn, West Virginia, Notre Dame, Rutgers, and UNLV.

The Players Era expands from 18 to 24 teams this year and will split into two brackets, with the two most recent national champions headlining the fields.

The format has shifted from a non-bracketed third-day system to a bracketed structure to improve storytelling and viewer clarity.

Details of the ESPN deal are not disclosed; the collaboration with EverWonder hints at a non-traditional rights arrangement.

The event emphasizes NIL-related compensation and the evolving two-bracket structure for the 2026-27 season.

The bracketed format allows networks to concentrate resources in one location, potentially boosting production quality, a trend ESPN aims to continue.

The two-tournament format is designed to showcase top programs early and create a large, financially impactful event series for schools and college basketball.