Proposal for historic NCAA tournament expansion reaches final stages: report
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Michigan’s men’s basketball team captured its first national championship in more than 30 years earlier this month. A day earlier, UCLA’s women’s team captured its first NCAA Tournament crown.
Michigan and UCLA powered through a 64-team bracket to hoist their respective championship trophies, but an expanded bracket could make repeat runs next season even more difficult. ESPN reported The NCAA is moving forward with plans to expand both tournaments to 76 teams, sources reported Tuesday.
The expansion has been on the table for more than a year, but this latest step could pave the way for official approval and the announcement could be made next month. The larger field could be ready before the 2026-27 season.
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The Sweet 16/Elite Eight March Madness logo is displayed on the floor prior to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament Elite Eight game between Texas Tech and Florida at Chase Center on March 29, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
Although there are many hurdles ahead of NCAA committees before any changes become official, a source told ESPN that the remaining steps are merely “formalities.”
Media rights deals have not yet been finalized, and contracts will likely need to be signed before men’s and women’s basketball committees, oversight groups and other parties can move forward. ESPN reported that NCAA officials recently held talks with key media partners.
The NCAA TOURNAMENT will unfortunately expand. WE ARE JUST WHAT WE NEED, MORE TEAM
While the financial framework for the expansion is still unclear, costs are expected to increase as more teams travel and compete. A source told ESPN that the plan could ultimately still produce profits and a “modest financial boost.”
A game ball with the March Madness logo is displayed during the first round of the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La., on March 22, 2025. (Beau Brune/NCAA Photos)
Expansion discussions appear to be fueled by big bids for power conferences rather than financial considerations. Many leagues have added significant numbers of schools under existing agreements.
“Expanding basketball tournaments would require approval from multiple NCAA committees, including the men’s and women’s basketball committees, and no final recommendations or decisions have been made at this time,” an NCAA spokesperson told OutKick’s Trey Wallace.
There are currently eight teams in the Top Four with four games to go. Under the expansion, that number will increase to 12 games featuring 24 teams, adding eight at-large bids in the men’s tournament.
NCAA basketball hits the net during the SEC women’s college basketball tournament on March 8, 2025 at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC. (John Byrum/Icon Sportswire)
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Overall, the proposal means the First Four will see 24 of the 76 teams competing on Tuesday and Wednesday. The eight teams that were once in the traditional group will now face eight new overall teams. The 64-team main roster will still start on Thursday with little change.
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