Syracuse basketball is expected to return to the NIL-driven Players Era in Las Vegas once again in 2026, but it's not entirely clear if the Orange has yet to receive its name, image and likeness payments for participating in this event in 2025.
Earlier this month, Sportico reported that multiple teams that competed in the 2025 Players Era are still waiting on the NIL funds for their athletes to be released. Sportico's article didn't specify whether the 'Cuse is one of the schools that hasn't yet received its NIL payments.
Another year, another loaded Geico Players Era Championship.
— Players Era (@Players_Era) February 18, 2026
The 2026 field will be ELITE, powered by all the returning programs from 2025 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xwhpaJwpJ1
Via e-mail, I asked an SU Athletics spokesperson and a Syracuse basketball spokesperson about this topic and whether the Orange has received its NIL money. Neither spokesperson responded to my request for comment.
Per Sportico, the primary issue is that some athletes' NIL deals haven't yet been cleared by the College Sports Commission, which is reviewing the deals to make sure they comply with the terms of last summer's multi-billion-dollar House antitrust settlement.
Syracuse basketball will compete in the Players Era again in 2026.
As a result of that settlement, schools can now directly pay their athletes in revenue-sharing, and Syracuse Athletics has said it's sharing the maximum amount allowed by the NCAA, roughly $20.5 million, in the 2025-26 sports season. There are also third-party NIL deals that athletes can enter into with commercial collectives or others, including individuals and businesses.
The College Sports Commission was created to make sure schools adhere to the rules of the House settlement, and that includes reviewing third-party NIL deals to ensure they comply with these rules.
The Players Era began in 2024, with eight teams. In 2025, it grew to 18 teams, including Syracuse basketball. The 2025 version was played in late November of last year, around the Thanksgiving holiday.
The Orange went 0-3, although SU nearly knocked off highly rated Houston and hung relatively close with Kansas before getting blown out in its final game in Las Vegas against Iowa State. All three of those Big 12 Conference teams are currently in the top eight of the Associated Press and Coaches' top-25 polls.
I first reported in May of 2024 that Syracuse basketball was finalizing its agreement to suit up in the 2025 Players Era. My sources have told me that the Orange and the other 17 participating teams were anticipating at least $1 million each in NIL payments.
Numerous other media reports have also stated this, although the final amount that the 'Cuse should have received, or will be receiving, is unknown, at least to me.
On Wednesday morning, the official Players Era X account said that the event in 2026 will be "powered by all the returning programs from 2025," including Syracuse basketball.