Should the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament expand from 68 teams? That’s the question that many college basketball fans have found themselves discussing for years. Now, it sounds like it might be closer to becoming a reality.
Thursday, CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein reported that the Division 1 Transformation Committee “has had dialogue to expand the NCAA Tournament in all sports to include 25% of the programs who are eligible.”
Extrapolating that to March Madness means the field of teams could expand from 68 to as high as 88.
That said, Rothstein added that this expansion may not apply to the NCAA Tournament “because of its uniqueness.”
Source: While the Division 1 Transformation Committee has discussed expanding the NCAA Tournament in all sports, there's a strong sentiment that expanding the Men's Basketball NCAA Tournament is different because of its uniqueness.
The committee meets later this month. https://t.co/1a0qXOziSO
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) October 20, 2022
The committee meets later this month to discuss specifics and potentially enact this expansion. However, the potential of seeing the men’s basketball tournament, which was traditionally set at 64 teams for many years before expanding in 2011, has a lot of people around the college basketball world wondering what to make of another uptick in teams.
This is too much for even me, but … I kinda like that they're actually sort of trying to follow a vision?? Even if it's a wild one? https://t.co/wGlVmkWqa4
— Bill Connelly (@ESPN_BillC) October 20, 2022
Tired: The NCAA has no role in modern college athletics beyond putting on tournaments.
Wired: The NCAA really sucks at putting on tournaments. https://t.co/ExSZ1W2lRi
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) October 20, 2022
This change needs to happen in Division III. Not Division I. https://t.co/WnPF97Sm8B
— Russell Steinberg (@Russ_Steinberg) October 20, 2022
Only Satan would vote in favor of this. https://t.co/gnvsP7qZSO
— Michael Grant (@MichaelGrant_CJ) October 20, 2022
Stranded on a deserted island, a writer & editor split up to look for fresh water. After hours of searching, the writer comes upon the editor peeing into a clean, perfect pool.
Writer: "What are you doing?"
Editor: "I'm making it better."
This committee is that editor. https://t.co/oe8KHB2whZ— Mike Sielski (@MikeSielski) October 20, 2022
Playoff and tournament expansion has been a major discussion point in recent years as the NCAA, conferences, and universities try to squeeze more money out of college athletics. We’ll see if the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments eventually expand as part of this push, but for now, at least, we’re looking at a 68-team field.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.