“It’s basically big-time basketball in a high school gym,” ESPN’s Jay Bilas said last November, capturing the unique magic of the Maui Invitational. Once the crown jewel of college basketball’s early-season schedule, the tournament was a proving ground for blue bloods, a launchpad for future NBA stars, and a stage for unforgettable moments—all set against the stunning backdrop of Hawaii’s beaches. But now, the shine is fading. Top programs are walking away, lured by bigger paydays and better exposure elsewhere. Is the Maui Invitational on its last legs?

According to a post on X by college basketball content, “Say goodbye to the Maui Invitational and the Battle 4 Atlantis as we know it.” This comment came in response to CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander, who broke the news: “Breaking: Players Era Festival—an event that pays millions in NIL to players & debuted w/ 8 teams this season—intends to expand to 32 schools in 2026, sources tell @CBSSports. Yes: 32 teams, making it the biggest non-NCAAT event in college sports history.”

The Players Era Festival (PEF), a Las Vegas-based NIL-driven event, has already reshaped the nonconference landscape. Its rapid expansion from 8 to 18 teams in 2025, and a projected 32-team format by 2026, threatens to overshadow the Maui Invitational.

The PEF’s FIFA-style group-stage format across multiple cities before culminating in Las Vegas offers a more flexible and financially lucrative alternative to the traditional three-games-in-three-days format of holiday tournaments. “The idea is to bookend the college basketball season with two major events: March Madness at the end and ‘November Madness’ in the beginning,” sources told CBS Sports.

Reactions to the news have been swift.

Is the Maui Invitational on its last legs? College basketball fans fear the worst

“The Maui Invitational was over the second we saw the field for 2025. It’s awful,” one fan lamented. The tournament, which has been running since 1984, has long been a proving ground for championship-caliber teams. Just in 2023, 5 of the 8 teams were ranked. However, with Baylor and Oregon withdrawing from the 2025 field in favor of the Players Era Festival, it is clear that major programs are prioritizing more lucrative and logistically sound alternatives. On3.com confirmed that Arizona State and Washington State were brought in as replacements, but the absence of premier teams signals a shift in perception.

“Say it ain’t so. The slow death of the Alaska Shootout was bad enough….😔” one fan said, drawing parallels to another once-proud tournament that faded into irrelevance. Once a crown jewel of the college basketball calendar, the Alaska Shootout collapsed under the weight of dwindling sponsorships, weaker competition, and logistical nightmares. Now, many fear Maui is staring down the same grim fate.

“Most top-tier programs are distancing themselves from the holiday tournaments in favor of single-game neutral-site matchups,” another fan pointed out. The rapid expansion of NIL deals and financial incentives for players has made the traditional holiday tournaments less attractive. “The risk/reward for playing 3 games in 3 days isn’t equitable and doesn’t benefit them that early in the season. UConn’s Maui collapse sealed it.”

The tipping point for many was UConn’s disastrous 2024 Maui Invitational performance. The Huskies and Dan Hurley, a two-time tournament champion, lost all three games, finishing last with an 0-3 record. Their losses—99-97 in overtime to Memphis, 73-72 to Colorado, and 85-67 to Dayton—left fans bitter.

Historically, UConn holds a 9-6 record in the Maui Invitational, with championships in 2005 and 2010, but their recent collapse may have reinforced the skepticism surrounding the event’s competitive value.

The Players Era Festival is not structured like the Maui Invitational. Instead of a condensed schedule, teams compete once per week across various locations, allowing for better preparation, reduced injury risk, and greater national exposure. The slower, more strategic pace appeals to elite programs, who are increasingly hesitant to risk early-season losses in a grueling format like Maui’s.

While one fan expressed, “This sucks,” another declared, “This is horrible for the sport.” But is it really? Or is it just resistance to change—an aversion to innovative formats that ease the early-season grind? Moreover, there has been excitement among those who attended the new MTE last year. 6 of those teams even made it to the 2025 tourney. But of course, that’s not the only factor at play.

“NBA G League 2.0,” one fan quipped, summing up the shift shaking college basketball. With NIL money flowing and a format built for player exposure, the Players Era Festival is positioning itself as the little brother to March Madness, just as the G League is to the NBA. By 2026, 32 teams will take part, trading tradition for a player-first model that ditches grueling back-to-back games. Some call it the future. Others call it the beginning of the end.