Proposal for historic NCAA tournament expansion reaches final stages: report

Michigan’s men’s hoops squad secured its first nationalist title successful much than 30 years earlier this month. One time earlier, UCLA’s women’s team claimed its first NCAA Tournament crown.

Michigan and UCLA powered done a 64-team bracket to hoist their respective title trophies, but an expanded bracket could make repetition runs much difficult adjacent season. ESPN reported Tuesday, citing sources, that nan NCAA is moving guardant pinch plans to grow some tournaments to 76 teams.

Expansion has been connected nan array for much than a year, but this latest measurement could pave nan measurement for general approval, pinch an announcement imaginable arsenic soon arsenic adjacent month. The larger section could beryllium successful spot earlier nan 2026-27 season.

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The Sweet 16/Elite Eight March Madness logo is displayed connected nan level earlier nan NCAA men’s hoops tourney Elite Eight crippled betwixt Texas Tech and Florida astatine nan Chase Center successful San Francisco, Calif., connected March 29, 2025. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Though respective hurdles stay pinch NCAA committees earlier immoderate changes tin go official, a root told ESPN nan remaining steps are simply "formalities."

Media authorities deals stay unfinished, and signed contracts will apt beryllium needed earlier nan men’s and women’s hoops committees, oversight groups and different parties move forward. ESPN reported that NCAA officials person precocious engaged successful discussions pinch cardinal media partners.

NCAA TOURNAMENT IS GOING TO EXPAND, UNFORTUNATELY. JUST WHAT WE NEED, MORE TEAMS

While nan financial model for description is still unclear, costs are expected to emergence pinch much teams walking and competing. A root told ESPN nan scheme could still yet nutrient profit and a "modest financial upside."

A crippled shot pinch nan March Madness logo is shown during nan first information of nan 2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament astatine Pete Maravich Assembly Center successful Baton Rouge, La., connected March 22, 2025. (Beau Brune/NCAA Photos)

Expansion discussions look to beryllium fueled much by nan push for at-large bids for powerfulness conferences than by financial considerations. Many leagues person added a sizeable number of schools nether nan existent agreement.

"Expanding nan hoops tournaments would require support from aggregate NCAA committees, including nan men’s and women’s hoops committees, and nary last recommendations aliases decisions person been made astatine this time," an NCAA spokesperson told OutKick's Trey Wallace.

Currently, nan First Four features 8 teams crossed 4 games. Under description , that would turn to 12 games involving 24 teams, pinch nan men’s tourney adding 8 at-large bids.

The NCAA hoops goes done nan nett during nan SEC women's assemblage hoops tourney astatine Bon Secours Wellness Arena successful Greenville, S.C., connected March 8, 2025. (John Byrum/Icon Sportswire)

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Overall, nan connection would mean nan First Four would spot 24 of those 76 teams competing Tuesday and Wednesday. Eight teams that erstwhile would person been successful nan customary bracket would now look 8 caller at-large teams. The main 64-team bracket would still extremity disconnected Thursday pinch small change.

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