Kansas and Kansas State will be part of one of college basketball’s biggest regular-season events this November in Las Vegas.
The Players Era Championship will expand to 24 men’s teams in 2026, with the event featuring separate eight-team and 16-team tournaments. Kansas is scheduled to compete in the Players Era Eight, while Kansas State will be part of the Players Era 16.
The event also has a new broadcast home. ESPN has reached a multi-year agreement to carry Players Era games after TNT held the rights for the first two editions of the event.
The Big 12 will again have a major presence in Las Vegas. Kansas and Kansas State are part of an eight-team conference group that also includes Baylor, Houston, Iowa State, TCU, Texas Tech and West Virginia.
Players Era officials have said the expanded partnership with the Big 12 runs through 2030.
Specific matchups, game times and ticket information are expected to be announced later this month.
The event has also become a major part of the NIL landscape in college basketball. Organizers said the average payout for the 24 participating schools will be slightly more than $1 million, with Kansas reportedly set to receive the largest payout in the field.