The NCAA has shared a plan with Division I conference commissioners to potentially expand the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments by adding four or eight teams, in addition to the option of keeping each field at 68 teams. This proposal was presented by NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt and NCAA vice president for women’s basketball Lynn Holzman.
The expansion of the 68-team field would involve both four- and eight-team models, with the NCAA maintaining its 64-team bracket and adding play-in games for the Nos. 10 through 12 seeds. If the men’s tournament expands, it is likely that the women’s tournament would follow suit. There have been discussions within college basketball about the ideal size of the tournaments, with some believing that the current 68-team fields and three weekends of play are sufficient. However, there is growing pressure to add teams and games to one of the most popular sporting events in the U.S.
Last year, the NCAA Division I board of directors approved recommendations allowing a quarter of teams in larger sports to compete in championship events, potentially expanding the March Madness tournaments to nearly 90 teams. Sources have indicated that ongoing discussions about expanding the tournaments would likely not result in more than 80 teams for the men’s event.
Expanding the tournaments would require finding additional sites for the games, as Dayton currently hosts the First Four games but would not be able to accommodate more play-in games. Larger conferences are generally in favor of expansion, while smaller leagues are concerned about losing automatic bids and being relegated to play-in games.
If the tournaments do expand, it is not expected to significantly impact the NCAA’s revenue distribution, as the additional games would only provide a small boost in ticket sales and merchandise. The NCAA is currently in the middle of an eight-year TV deal for the men’s tournament worth $8.8 billion, set to run through 2032.
The earliest possible season for the tournament expansion would be 2025-26, with upcoming meetings of the basketball oversight committee and tournament selection committee likely to address this issue. The men’s tournament last expanded in 2011, while the women’s tournament increased in size in 2022.
The women’s tournament recently experienced record-breaking success, with a record audience of 18.7 million viewers for the title game. This viewership exceeded that of the men’s championship game and set a new high for basketball broadcasts in five years. Additionally, the women’s tournament saw record attendance levels.
In conclusion, the potential expansion of the NCAA basketball tournaments is a topic of ongoing discussion and consideration within the college basketball community, with various factors and perspectives influencing the decision-making process.
