Tournament Expanding to 76 Teams

[Jockey]

The ultimate goal is to squeeze the small conferences out.  The Big 18, SEC and to a lesser extent the Big XIIIIII and ACC don't want the other kids in their sandbox.  It kills the Big 18 and SEC to have to share dollars the tournament makes them with the smaller leagues.  It kills them. 

Just like life. Those with money make the rules. The rules aren't there to help everyone - they are there to further the aims of the rich. In reality, they destroy life and destroy the college basketball landscape.

The goal is to eliminate cinderellas so that the money funnels only to the large conferences. Same purpose as NIL. The big boys have decided that Mid-Majors should be a minor league that supplies players to the rich. As a result, cinderellas will no longer exist.

[The Sultan]

Gosh, I would love to go back to the time when money didn't matter in college sports.

When was that exactly?

[Galway Eagle]

Gosh, I would love to go back to the time when money didn't matter in college sports.

When was that exactly?

Back when the likes of "Dynamic" Dukes Duford and "Quick" Dick Quinn were our captain & leading scorer (old time nicknames are my own embellishment)

[jfp61]

Who are its members?

Gross people who are willing to spend time in Indiana

[The Sultan]

Gross people who are willing to spend time in Indiana

No. Those are its employees.

Who are its members?

[Uncle Rico]

Just like life. Those with money make the rules. The rules aren't there to help everyone - they are there to further the aims of the rich. In reality, they destroy life and destroy the college basketball landscape.

The goal is to eliminate cinderellas so that the money funnels only to the large conferences. Same purpose as NIL. The big boys have decided that Mid-Majors should be a minor league that supplies players to the rich. As a result, cinderellas will no longer exist.

Sultan is right, money has always ruled college sports.  Always been haves and have nots. 

Difference now, haves are really flexing their muscles without much fear of backlash

[K1 Lover]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B83KCWSRY8

Interesting discussion that talks about tournament expansion.

Norlander explains (starting at 5:24) it's happening because the NCAA is strapped for cash after all the lawsuits and settlements, with the men's tournament being the only thing keeping the organization solvent. By the way he frames it, the financial move here is less so about greed and more so about desperation from the NCAA.

I don't know if the NCAA is at any real risk of becoming insolvent anytime soon, but while I didn't love the idea of expansion being purely a cash grab at first, I'm all for it if it means keeping the ship afloat and preventing the possibility of the B1G and SEC taking over.

[MarquetteMike1977]

Pete Thamel
May 6, 2026, 11:34 PM ET
The NCAA is pushing through the final steps for expanding the men's and women's NCAA basketball tournaments to 76 teams, sources told ESPN.
NCAA committee calls scheduled for Thursday loom as expected final steps for the formalization of the expansion, sources said. The expansion process could be completed as early as Thursday.
ESPN had reported last week that the NCAA had initiated the final steps to expand both tournaments from 68 to 76 beginning with the 2027 tournaments.
Talks of expansion had taken place for well over a year, and the media deal for the men's tournament was one of the final steps toward completion after meetings with
NCAA officials in late April. There's not expected to be much pushback from the various NCAA committees, as sources have indicated the moves have been debated and discussed for months to help streamline the final steps.
The formal process includes approval from the men's and women's basketball committees, the men's and women's basketball oversight committees, the Division I cabinet and the Division I board of governors.
The move will mark a significant shift in one of the hallmark American sporting events. The expansion of the men's tournament would be the biggest since it moved to 64 teams in 1985. A single team was added in 2001, and three more in 2011.
The Tuesday and Wednesday of the men's tournament will be significantly different, as it will expand to 12 games played by 24 teams at two different sites thanks to the eight additional at-large bids.
One of those sites is expected to be Dayton, Ohio, which has long hosted the current Tuesday/Wednesday games known as the First Four. The other site is yet to be determined but will be out of the Eastern Time zone to help accommodate logistics.
Nearly one-third of the men's field will now play on either Tuesday or Wednesday, as the opening games will feature 24 of the 76 teams. The traditional 64-team bracket will begin early Thursday and is expected to look and feel much the same.

[wisblue]

Have they said how the seeding for this would work?

Now the first four includes the four lowest seeded automatic bids and the four lowest seeded at large teams

Will the extra 8 places be filled by 4 from each pot or all from one of them?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Have they said how the seeding for this would work?

Now the first four includes the four lowest seeded automatic bids and the four lowest seeded at large teams

Will the extra 8 places be filled by 4 from each pot or all from one of them?

Hasn't been decided yet. It's been reported that the network prefers it be filled by 4 from each pot.

[Billy Hoyle]

here's the new bracket

https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2026/5/7/ncaa-basketball-tournaments-expanding-to-76-teams-what-to-know.aspx#brackets

[wadesworld]

here's the new bracket

https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2026/5/7/ncaa-basketball-tournaments-expanding-to-76-teams-what-to-know.aspx#brackets

Disgusting.

[The Sultan]

Disgusting.

Yep. Should be larger.

[Uncle Rico]

Yep. Should be larger.

32 teams was good enough for Al

[The Sultan]

32 teams was good enough for Al

Apparently not. He would have won it more.

[Uncle Rico]

Apparently not. He would have won it more.

Well, he choked a lot

[The Sultan]

Well, he choked a lot

Which is why he ran of to the NIT in 1970. He wanted to finally win something.

[Uncle Rico]

Which is why he ran of to the NIT in 1970. He wanted to finally win something.

You know who never ran to the NIT afraid of the NCAA?  Rick Pitino

[The Sultan]

You know who never ran to the NIT afraid of the NCAA?  Rick Pitino

It's a good thing that Al eventually hired Rick Majerus. Someone had to coach this team.

[Uncle Rico]

It's a good thing that Al eventually hired Rick Majerus. Someone had to coach this team.

Without Majerus, Al never wins a title.  That's a fact.

[The Sultan]

Without Majerus, Al never wins a title.  That's a fact.

You think Al wins anything at Ball State? The good citizens of Muncie would see through that schtick immediately. Seashells and balloons? Puh-leeze...

[Uncle Rico]

You think Al wins anything at Ball State? The good citizens of Muncie would see through that schtick immediately. Seashells and balloons? Puh-leeze...

Al couldn't win at Belmont Abbey, for cryin' aloud

[Billy Hoyle]

quote from the Sun Belt Commissioner/MBB Committee Chair Keith Gill is interesting. This will give every 16-seed and two 15-seeds and their conferences a chance to get tourney revenue shares now.

"The expanded Opening Round for the NCAA tournaments will now feature 12 automatic qualifiers and 12 total at-large teams, resulting in highly competitive matchups and greater access to the opportunity to compete for the championship for the eight new at-large bids. During the last two years of the tournaments, men's and women's teams seeded 15 or 16 are winless in 32 first-round games. Moving forward nearly half of the 28 men's and women's teams seeded on the 15 and 16 lines will win at least one tournament game."

[Uncle Rico]

quote from the Sun Belt Commissioner/MBB Committee Chair Keith Gill is interesting. This will give every 16-seed and two 15-seeds and their conferences a chance to get tourney revenue shares now.

"The expanded Opening Round for the NCAA tournaments will now feature 12 automatic qualifiers and 12 total at-large teams, resulting in highly competitive matchups and greater access to the opportunity to compete for the championship for the eight new at-large bids. During the last two years of the tournaments, men's and women's teams seeded 15 or 16 are winless in 32 first-round games. Moving forward nearly half of the 28 men's and women's teams seeded on the 15 and 16 lines will win at least one tournament game."

Well, a watered down share, but a share

Smaller leagues should scrap their tourneys

[Billy Hoyle]

Well, a watered down share, but a share

Smaller leagues should scrap their tourneys

The NEC, OVC, MEAC, A-Sun, etc., will gladly take a "watered down" share.