On the day before the Final Four, news leaked out from the Sports Business Journal that the NCAA Tournament is looking to expand the number of tournament teams from 68 to 76 teams.
It’s been a rumor for a few years now, but it is being reported that they will finalize the expansion in both the men’s and women’s tournaments after the conclusion of this year’s tournament.
It would basically be an expansion of the Dayton rounds that are played on Tuesday and Wednesday. Rather than two games on each of those
days, there would be twelve total games played among twenty-four teams.
It would be a tough road for those twenty-four teams. For any teams that win their play-in game and the official first-round of the tournament, a team could play three games in five days. But the financial benefits are likely too big for the NCAA to ignore, as more money often drives these kinds of moves. Plus, any NCAA Tournament expansion is almost assured to be good news for teams in Power Conferences, because when the current structure stops benefiting them, it’s time to change that structure.
If this does happen, expect more discussion as details come out.
Is this a good idea, or is it a case of fixing what isn’t broken? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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