March Madness to expand to 76 teams starting next season
AP News • • sports
Key Points:
- The NCAA will expand both the men's and women's basketball tournaments to 76 teams starting next season, adding eight more games and increasing the number of at-large bids from 37 to 44.
- This expansion is financially supported by new sponsorship deals allowing alcohol advertising, including beer, wine, spirits, and hard seltzer, generating approximately $300 million in additional funding.
- The expanded tournament will feature a larger opening round, called the March Madness Opening Round, with 12 winners advancing to the traditional 64-team bracket, resulting in a total of 120 games over seven days.
- Critics argue the expansion primarily benefits power conferences by allowing more of their lower-ranked teams into the tournament, while smaller mid-major schools face challenges advancing past early rounds.
- The NCAA expects the new format to remain stable through the current TV deal ending in 2032, with potential future changes uncertain, but the expansion aims to balance increased revenue with preserving the tournament’s competitive appeal.
