Class players, we hear (5)
I believe the answer is:
caste
'class' is the definition.
(caste is a kind of class)
'players we hear' is the wordplay.
'players' becomes 'cast' (I've seen this before).
'we hear' indicates a 'sounds like' (homophone) clue.
'cast' is a homophone of 'CASTE'.
(Other definitions for caste that I've seen before include "Social station" , "Hereditary social class in Hindu society" , "Level in society" , "Social division in Hinduism" , "Hereditary social class among Hindus" .)