March Madness expands to 76 teams: Long-term change locked in for men's, women's NCAA Tournament
CBS Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- The NCAA has officially approved expanding both the men's and women's Division I basketball tournaments from 68 to 76 teams starting next year, pending final approvals from other committees.
- The expansion was unanimously supported by the men's and women's basketball committees, the NCAA Board of Governors, and the Division I cabinet, with the goal of providing more championship opportunities and better matchups.
- The new format introduces a 24-team opening round featuring 12 games over two days, with winners advancing to a 52-team main bracket, meaning nearly one-third of the field will play before the traditional Selection Sunday bracket is set.
- Despite the expansion, the tournament calendar remains unchanged, maintaining the mid-March start and early April conclusion, which may strain scheduling and dilute the regular season's competitive urgency.
- The decision was driven largely by power conference lobbying and aims to generate moderate additional revenue, though it comes with increased costs and skepticism about its popularity among fans and financial viability, especially for the women's tournament.
