NCAA Tournament expanding to 76 teams

[K1 Lover]

https://x.com/yahoosports/status/2040201723243888683?s=46

This was brought up in the college hoops thread but it warrants its own discussion.

The NCAA tournament is all but set to include 8 additional at-large teams from here on out. Consequently, the First Four will become a "First Twelve" of sorts, as the tourney will feature a new opening round in which 24 teams compete in 12 play-in games over two days. The 12 winners then join the other 52 teams already safely in.

Putting it simply, the main bracket field of 64 teams remains the same, but the bubble widens significantly from both ends.

Other than disgust for financial greed and the downstream effects of conference supersizing, how are we feeling about this?

[The Sultan]

I'm fine with it. No biggie having more play in games.

[Nukem2]

Give out participation trophies 

[MuMark]

It was inevitable......more tournament games more revenue.

How long until they increase the number of games in regular season?

[Uncle Rico]

Finally.  Imagine how much better this tournament would have been with Seton Hall

[cheebs09]

What will this mean for the Crown tournament?

[Jay Bee]

So we have a chance??!

[Florida Warrior]

I don't get the 76 number. If you are going to expand, why not make it 80 - that way you'd have four play-in games for each region. Now, you're going to have three so I'm not sure how that is going to work. You'll have feeders for the four 16 seeds and the 11s and 12s? Or the 16s, 15s and 12s?

[MU82]

It was inevitable, and it really only matters to me as it affects Marquette.

[brewcity77]

It's a step in the right direction. It will mathematically strengthen the teams seeded 12-16, though going to 80 would've been better.

[rocky_warrior]

And MU would still have been out.

Go get em Shaka!

[K1 Lover]

And MU would still have been out.

Go get em Shaka!

Unironically, an immediate effect of expansion is that the offense of missing the tournament will now carry slightly more weight than it did previously. Hopefully our fanbase won't be affected by that anytime soon.

[panda]

And MU would still have been out.

Go get em Shaka!

Bubble team

[The Sultan]

Give out participation trophies 

You could argue that any expansion, even going from 32 to 48 to 64 teams was just that. Or playoff expansion in any sport.

But in reality it just isn't that big of a deal. Some of the national writers going ape-sh*t over this is just silly. Who cares in the end. As long as they preserve the first Thursday and Friday, it will be fine.

[muwarrior69]

What will this mean for the Crown tournament?

Crickets?

[willie warrior]

So we have a chance??!

Exactly. Might as well expand it to 300 plus teams. Or maybe it should be downsized to the days when only 16 teams got in. Wow, imagine the opinion rattling that would garner on who should be in.

[CountryRoads]

I've changed my opinion after watching this year's tournament and think expansion is a good thing now. They need to get the best 64 teams playing on Thursday/Friday.

I'd keep it simple and make the 14, 15, and 16 seeds the 12 play in games. Essentially all the low majors getting pushed into these games. A 4 seed playing 13 seed Auburn, Oklahoma, or Seton Hall in the opening round is more compelling than the total mismatches we saw this year.

[wadesworld]

Sucks for the low majors.

[MuggsyB]

I don't like it at all. 

[muwarrior69]

Will the payout be the same or reduced since there will be more teams.

[brewcity77]

Sucks for the low majors.

I'd argue it improves their odds of earning tourney credits and pulling off R1 upsets. All the single bid league admins that I talked to were in favor.

[wadesworld]

I'd argue it improves their odds of earning tourney credits and pulling off R1 upsets. All the single bid league admins that I talked to were in favor.

Yeah it's cool for the school. But it sucks for the players who make the Tournament and don't even get to truly play in the 64 team tournament.

[WarriorFan]

two thoughts:
a) if MU makes the tourney through this expansion in some future year, I'd be happier then if they don't make the tournament
b) the HOW is now the important issue.  it's an opportunity to make the first round of the tournament more competitive and some kind of improvement as proposed by country roads - while certainly beyond the intellectual capacity of the NCAA - would be good for college basketball.

[Galway Eagle]

two thoughts:
a) if MU makes the tourney through this expansion in some future year, I'd be happier then if they don't make the tournament
b) the HOW is now the important issue.  it's an opportunity to make the first round of the tournament more competitive and some kind of improvement as proposed by country roads - while certainly beyond the intellectual capacity of the NCAA - would be good for college basketball.

So you're saying if they go on a tear and snag a S16 or E8 after being in the expansion play ins you'd still be upset?

[MuMark]

Will the payout be the same or reduced since there will be more teams.

More games should be more revenue.......so more teams will share in more revenue .........my guess is the payouts will go up or at minimum stay the same or they wouldn't have done it.