NCAA President Charlie Baker Gives NCAA Tournament Expansion Update

[HooperScooper]

I still hate Dan Wetzel. Old timers like me remember why.

The most convincing argument against expanding the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments from 68 teams is pretty simple.

Almost no one is asking for it.

Wetzel: Please don't expand NCAA basketball tournaments

The NCAA will risk an iconic slice of Americana if it expands the NCAA men's and women's tournaments again.

www.espn.com

 

[HooperScooper]

Some people are making the argument that since there are more DI schools now there should be more teams in the NCAA Tournament. I thought this was an interesting stat to argue why this isn't a good reason.

There have been 2,520 games played in the tournament proper -- the field of 64 and beyond -- since 1985. Do you want to know how many D-I schools added since '85 have won a first round game or later? In 2,520 games?

The answer is 19. Nineteen out of 2,520.

That's well under 1% -- 0.754%, in fact. A laughably low number. Here are those schools and the years they did it.

Here's the math and data that prove why the NCAA Tournament doesn't need to expand

Matt Norlander busts the biggest myth regarding tourney expansion and lays out the stakes for a historic week in college athletics

www.cbssports.com

 

[Jaydumo20]

Some people are making the argument that since there are more DI schools now there should be more teams in the NCAA Tournament. I thought this was an interesting stat to argue why this isn't a good reason.

There have been 2,520 games played in the tournament proper -- the field of 64 and beyond -- since 1985. Do you want to know how many D-I schools added since '85 have won a first round game or later? In 2,520 games?

The answer is 19. Nineteen out of 2,520.

That's well under 1% -- 0.754%, in fact. A laughably low number. Here are those schools and the years they did it.

Here's the math and data that prove why the NCAA Tournament doesn't need to expand

Matt Norlander busts the biggest myth regarding tourney expansion and lays out the stakes for a historic week in college athletics

www.cbssports.com

It's so funny how common it is for people to think we all buy such BS.
Im not saying i have special powers due to the fact that i can call BS on anybody- Its just that the odds are in my favor.

 

[LIuconn]

No one wants this

 

[Scrutineer]

No one wants this

My guess is the B1G and SEC want it so they get more shares.
They've been driving all the changes designed to use their media rights money to overwhelm all the other leagues and opening up eight more slots would add to Sankey's bonus.

 

[freescooter]

No one wants this

What do you mean? You don’t want to watch the 16th ranked Big 10 team with a losing record play #14 from the SEC, also with a losing record? I mean they will probably have a higher NET ranking than the MAAC Champ which is what should drive bids. We care about theoretical records, not actual wins and losses!

 

[HooperScooper]

Joey Brackets is in favor of expansion. Now we know it's a bad idea!

What the NCAA tournament could look like with expansion

How would an expanded March Madness work with 72 or 76 teams? Bracketologist Joe Lunardi tries to answer some of your questions.

www.espn.com

 

[UConnTrumbull]

Rumor is a decision is to be made in the next 48 hours...lines up with a Friday news dump

 

[shizzle787]

It's going to go to 76. I wish it went back to 64. However, it will be good for the Big East and by extension us.

 

[thekollieman]

 

[gsmooth]

It's going to go to 76. I wish it went back to 64. However, it will be good for the Big East and by extension us.

There are plenty of things in life that are way more important than the big business of NCAA Basketball. However, no matter what subject in life you are dealing with, this expansion to 76 is the definition of "slippery slope".

Remember when the NCAA expanded from 64 to 68 and they alluded to, if not outright said, "it will stop here". Well it didn't.

I can't think of any fans that want this expansion to 76. Having 64 was fine and I don't mind 68, but 68 should have been the full stop.

 

[HooperScooper]

No decision made on expanding the NCAA Tournament.

"The NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Basketball Committees met this week, with the men's meeting taking place in Savannah and the women's meeting in Philadelphia," Gavitt said in a statement. "The topic of expanding the field for each championship was discussed at length but no decision or recommendation was made. The still viable outcomes include the tournaments remaining at 68 teams or expanding the fields to either 72 or 76 teams in advance of the 2026 or 2027 championships."

NCAA tables tournament expansion, delaying March Madness decision with 72, 76-team options still possible

Discussions continue regarding the format of one of the biggest events in sports

www.cbssports.com

 

[Jbirdp5]

Is rob dauster panicking that his media company will have a name that no longer matches the tourney?

 

[BlueJayFan]

He can always change it to The Field of 128 whenever that day comes.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[bendm]

What the NCAA tournament could look like with expansion

How would an expanded March Madness work with 72 or 76 teams? Bracketologist Joe Lunardi tries to answer some of your questions.

www.espn.com

I think it’s ridiculous to put auto qualifiers into the play-in games (other than the 16 seeds). If it expands to 72 then The play-ins should determine the four 16 seeds and the last 4 at large bubble teams that get in, whatever seeds those are in (10-12 range most likely).

 

[HooperScooper]

NCAA to keep 2026 March Madness men's and women's basketball tournaments at 68 teams

Monday was a big win for basketball fans who prefer the NCAA Tournament to remain untouched, but expansion still looms

www.cbssports.com

 

[Methalius]

I'd be fine with expansion if the regular season champion from each league received an automatic bid in lieu of how it is done now. I doubt that is being proposed though so I would prefer no expansion. The tournament is perfect as it is.

 

[temery]

AI will make draws in the future and nobody will complain because it'll be completely unbiased.


/s

 

[navery12]

I'd be fine with expansion if the regular season champion from each league received an automatic bid in lieu of how it is done now. I doubt that is being proposed though so I would prefer no expansion. The tournament is perfect as it is.

That's not an NCAA Tournament committee decision, every conference has the option to do that but chooses to have a conference tournament to get the autobid

 

[temery]

That's not an NCAA Tournament committee decision, every conference has the option to do that but chooses to have a conference tournament to get the autobid

It should be regular season champ with a tournament to give bubble teams in the conference a chance to add some wins.

 

[freescooter]

It should be regular season champ with a tournament to give bubble teams in the conference a chance to add some wins.

I’ve always said that. The bid shouldn’t go to a team that wins 3 games in 3 days when nobody plays that way all season. I’d give bids to every league champ and if you must go bigger make every at-large team go to a play-in game.

I’d also go back to 64 if I had the power.

 

[thekollieman]

It should be regular season champ with a tournament to give bubble teams in the conference a chance to add some wins.

I like this idea, but what would you say is the ideal tiebreaker for regular season champs?

 

[UConnTrumbull]

I like this idea, but what would you say is the ideal tiebreaker for regular season champs?

That’s the biggest issue in my opinion. You could have a 3 or more team tie for first (although unlikely). The thing is for major conferences it doesn’t matter because if you’re tied for first there’s a 95%+ chance you’re getting in anyway. But for your low and mid-majors it’s a massive difference.