The 2026-27 men's college basketball multi-team event schedule features significant format changes, with the Players Era events leading the way in a simplified bracket structure. CBS Sports has ranked the five best bracket-style tournaments for the upcoming season.
1. Players Era 16
Dates: Nov. 24-28 | Location: Las Vegas | Format: Two eight-team brackets with winners meeting in a championship game. The field includes 14 high-major conference teams plus Gonzaga and San Diego State, with nine preseason AP Top 25 teams. All 16 teams began the season inside the KenPom top 100 except Kansas State. Each team is guaranteed three games, and the champion earns an additional $1 million.
2. Players Era 8
Dates: Nov. 17-19 | Location: Las Vegas | Format: Eight-team bracket. Headlined by preseason No. 1 Florida, along with Houston and Kansas. Potential semifinals include Houston vs. Florida and Kansas vs. Auburn. Kansas is reported to be the most well-compensated school among the 24 contracted with Players Era.
3. Maui Invitational
Dates: Nov. 23-25 | Location: Lahaina, Hawaii | Format: Eight-team bracket. The field features Arizona and BYU as headliners, with a compelling first-round matchup between VCU and Providence. Only two teams from the 2025 field reached the NCAA Tournament.
4. Rady Children's Invitational
Dates: Nov. 26-27 | Location: San Diego | Format: Four-team bracket. Texas and UCLA, both preseason Top 25 teams, could meet in the final. Texas added five-star freshmen Marcus Spears Jr. and Austin Goosby plus transfers David Punch and Isaiah Johnson. UCLA added transfer Jaylen Petty and Nikola Kusturica.
5. Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship
Dates: Nov. 19-20 | Location: Nassau, Bahamas | Format: Four-team bracket. Matchups: NC State vs. Murray State and Wisconsin vs. Seton Hall. The winner of each advances to the title game. NC State is under first-year coach Justin Gainey.
The Battle 4 Atlantis was excluded from the ranking due to its unconventional two-pool format that eliminates a traditional bracket.
